FUCKINGER 


BV  2590  . F54  1907 
Flickinger,  Daniel  Kumler, 
1824-1911 . 


Fifty-five  years  of  active 
ministerial  life 


J 


Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 
in  2015 


https://archive.org/details/fiftyfiveyearsof00flic_0 


Fifty-Five  Years  of  Active 
Ministerial  Life  by 


BISHOP  D.  K.  FLICKIINGER,  D.D. 


For  Forty  Years  a Laborer  in  the  Mission  Work 
of  West  Africa,  as  Missionary,  Missionary 
Secretary,  and  Later  as  Missionary 
Bishop 


Mlitf)  a Preface  bp 
TBiflbop  <g.  30.  30atl )ctoB,  D.D. 


Nineteen  Hundred  and  Seven 
United  Brethren  Publishing  House 
Dayton,  Ohio 


All  Rights  Reserved,  1907 
W.  R.  Fu/ik,  Publisher 


To  the  Pllcmbership  nf  the  Church  nf  the  Plaited  Plrethren  in  Christ 
and  tn  all  those  uiho  hauE  Exalted  the  Cospel  of  |lesns  Christ 
as  the  highest  railing;  but  especially  to  those  who, 
obedient  to  the  pilaster’s  rail,  haue  gone  into 
mission  fields  is  this  unlume  respectfully 
dedicated  by  the  author 


PREFACE 


The  influence  and  far-reaching  results  of  over  a half  century 
of  ministerial  life  and  service  are  beyond  human  computation. 
A ministerial  career  spanning  the  last  half  of  the  preceding 
century,  so  wonderful,  as  it  was,  in  its  events,  growth,  and 
achievements,  must  necessarily  command  special  attention.  By 
reason  of  his  faithful  service,  fruitful  activity,  great  sacrifices, 
and  generous  contributions  to  the  Church,  the  author  of  “Fifty- 
five  Years  of  Ministerial  Life”  has  been  qualified  to  present  to 
the  public  a volume  full  of  information  and  interest. 

The  life  of  Ex-Bishop  Flickinger  parallels  the  entire  history 
of  the  missionary  operations  of  the  United  Brethren  Church  in 
the  foreign  field.  He  was  one  of  the  three  who  planted  our 
first  mission  on  the  West  Coast  of  Africa,  with  which  he  was 
associated  about  fifty  years.  Dr.  Flickinger  possibly  stands 
without  a peer  in  many  points  of  consecration  to  the  African 
mission.  Like  St.  Paul,  it  burdened  his  heart  as  a debt  he 
owed  to  the  Greeks  and  barbarians;  hence  he  threw  all  the 
energies  of  his  being  into  the  missionary  enterprise,  in  the 
midst  of  the  embarrassing  and  trying  period  of  its  early  strug- 
gles. 

With  graphic  description,  interspersed  with,  enlivening  humor 
and  spicy  anecdote,  the  author  recounts  the  early  experiences 
of  the  Missionary  Society,  its  fortunes  during  the  Civil  War, 
and  the  diffi#ulty  of  maintaining  and  prosecuting  missionary 
work  during  the  succeeding  period  of  financial  depression.  The 
reader  will  be  glad  to  follow  one  who  crossed  the  ocean  twenty- 
four  times,  and  who  figured  in  the  forefront  of  our  home  and 
foreign  missionary  work  for  half  a century. 

The  modesty  with  which  the  author  refers  to  his  own  labors 
and  gifts  to  the  colleges  and  other  institutions  of  the  Church, 
gives  merit  to  this  book,  which  enriches  the  biographical  liter- 
ature of  the  denomination. 

G.  M.  Mathews. 

Chicago,  Illinois. 


5 


CONTENTS 


CHAPTER  I. 

1850- 51 — First  Circuit — Local  Preachers — Surprised  the  Quar- 
terly Conference 

CHAPTER  II. 

1851- 52— Education — Changing  the  Hour  for  Service — Whisky  in 

the  Harvest  Field — Camp-Meeting 

CHAPTER  III. 

1852- 53 — Traveling — Colporteur  Experiences  in  Cincinnati 

CHAPTER  IV. 

1853- 54 — Junior  Preacher — Revivals — Holiness  People  

CHAPTER  V. 

1854- 55 — Pastor  in  Dayton — Answers  “Yes”  to  the  Missionary 

Call — Goes  to  Africa — Explores  the  Country 

CHAPTER  VI. 

1855- 56 — In  Africa — Given  Up  to  Die — Returns  to  America — 

Soliciting  From  “Nigger”  Haters  

CHAPTER  VII. 

1856- 57- — Pastor  of  a Mission  Church — Sent  to  Africa — Seasick- 
ness— Secures  Mission  Site — Elected  Missionary  Secretary.  . 

CHAPTER  VIII. 

1857- 58 — Disappointing  the  Doctors — Lecturing  in  German  at  a 

Pennsylvania  Camp-Meeting — An  Experience — Saving  the 
Credit  of  the  Missionary  Society  

CHAPTER  IX. 

1858- 59 — Dealing  With  the  Annual  Conferences — Hardest  Work 

— Spirit  of  the  South — Some  Incidents 


17 

22 

27 

31 

34 

38 

43 

48 


63 


CHAPTER  X. 

1859- 60 — Hard  Times — An  Incident — Missionary  Telescope— The 

Bishop  Severe  58 

CHAPTER  XI. 

1860- 61 — Lecturing  on  Missions — Great  Success  in  the  Frontier 

“White-Man  Fashion” — Throwing  the  Teacher 62 

CHAPTER  XII. 

1861- 62 — Goes  to  Freetown — Dealing  With  English  Law — Anti- 

Slavery  Money — Drunken  Captain — Encounters  a Gale 66 

CHAPTER  XIII. 

1862- 63- — Civil  War — Threaten  the  Abolitionist  Preacher — 

Authorize  Work  Among  the  Freedmen — Visit  to  President 
Lincoln  71 

CHAPTER  XIV. 

1863- 64 — Opening  a School  at  Vicksburg — Miss  Dickey — Subse- 
quent Fate  of  Vicksburg  Mission 75 

CHAPTER  XV. 

1864- 65 — In  the  Christian  Commission — Preaching  to  the  Soldiers 

at  Nashville — A Bishop's  Loyalty  Questioned  79 

CHAPTER  XVI. 

1865- 66 — Reverses  in  Africa — Misconceptions  of  Good  People — 

The  German's  Blunder — The  Board's  Endorsement 84 

CHAPTER  XVII. 

1866- 67- — Metallic  Casket — Sample  of  Opposition  to  Foreign 

Missions — Discouragements  88 

CHAPTER  XVIII. 

1867- 68 — Success  on  the  Frontier — Church  Erection — An  Iowa 

Example — Discouragements  in  Africa  91 

CHAPTER  XIX. 


1869-70 — Pleading  for  Better  Rules — The  Crisis  in  African  Mis- 
sion— Thomas  Tucker  “Palaver”  


95 


CHAPTER  XX. 


1870- 71 — Experiences  With  Tricky  Africans— Negotiations  With 

American  Missionary  Association — Joseph  Corner — Headman 
Holds  Service — Germany  98 

CHAPTER  XXI. 

1871- 72— Talking  Money — Chinaman  and  Indian  in  California — - 

Encouraging  News  From  Africa 103 

CHAPTER  XXII. 

1872- 73 — Two  Remarkable  Providences — The  Answer  to  Mrs. 
Hadley's  Prayer- — Unexpectedly  Meets  His  Namesake,  Daniel 
Flickinger  Wilberforce — Growth  of  the  Home  Mission  Work.  107 

CHAPTER  XXIII. 

1873- 74 — Church  Erection  Prospering — Sabbath  Schools  Give 

83,000 — Flickinger  Chapel  at  Sheuge — Reverses  in  Germany — 
Some  African  Experiences 112 

CHAPTER  XXIV. 

1874- 75 — Hard  Times,  but  Missions  Prospering — German  Editor 

on  the  Temperance  Crusade — On  the  Lookout  for  the  Police- 
man in  Germany — Women's  Missionary  Societies — African 
Experiences  116 

CHAPTER  XXV. 

1875- 76 — Visits  Africa  and  Germany — Decide  to  Continue  in  Ger- 
many— A Clean  Church  in  Africa — Saved  From  the  Rocks — 

In  Glasgow- — Divine  Healing — War  Party  in  Africa 120 

CHAPTER  XXVI. 

1876- 77 — A Mission  for  the  Chinese  on  the  Pacific  Coast — Wom- 

an’s Missionary  Association — Education  of  D.  K.  Wilberforce 
— John  Caulker,  the  Mohammedan,  in  Jail — Testing  a Medi- 
cine Man’s  Charms — Tom  Tucker  125 

CHAPTER  XXVII. 

1877- 78 — Decrease  in  Benevolences — Firmness  in  the  Chair — 
Chinese  Mission  on  the  Coast — Windowless  in  Kentucky....  130 


CHAPTER  XXVIII. 

1878- 79 — Fifth  Wheel  to  the  Missionary  Society — Hon.  Carl 

Schurz — Advice  to  College  Faculties,  - and  the  Bishops — 
Talked  Too  Much  in  Germany 135 

CHAPTER  XXIX. 

1879- 80 — An  Eventful  Y'ear — Organized  Mission  Districts  in 
Germany  and  Africa — Experiences  in  Germany — Injustice  to 

the  Down-Trodden — Church  Erection  Growing  140 

CHAPTER  XXX. 

1880- 81 — Transformations  in  Africa — The  Spiritual  Need  of  Ger- 

many— More  About  Germany — State  Churches — Headmen’s 
Sons  as  Mission  Boys 145 

CHAPTER  XXXI. 

1881- 82 — Visits  Africa  Again — A Circle  of  Mission  Sites— Indus- 

trial Training — Rejoicing  Over  Success — Experiences  on  a 
Rough  Sea  Voyage — Collision  at  Sea 151 

CHAPTER  XXXII. 

1882- 83 — Accept  the  Mendi  Mission— Go  to  Africa — Ship  Dis- 

abled— Mendi  Property — The  "Early  Dawn” — The  John 
Brown  Steamer — The  “Drivers” 156 

CHAPTER  XXXIII. 

1883- 84 — Increasing  Responsibility — Misfortunes  of  the  John 

Brown — Spiritual  Results  and  New  Missionaries — A Proph- 
ecy— Flogged  the  Oarsman — In  a Storm 162 

CHAPTER  XXXIV. 

1884- 85 — Grumblers — On  the  Pacific  Coast — Treasurer  Billheimer 

Reports — Comparison  of  Cost  Per  Member — Assets,  Material 
and  Spiritual— New  Kind  of  Foreordination 166 

CHAPTER  XXXV. 

1885- 86 — Elected  Missionary  Bishop — Valedictory  as  Editor  of 


Missionary  Visitor — To  Africa— Secretary  Warner’s  Re- 
port   173 

CHAPTER  XXXVI. 

1886-87 — Rufus  Clark  and  Wife  Give  $5,000 — Training-School 

Built  of  Stones  From  Slave  Pen — Process  of  Building 179 


CHAPTER  XXXVII. 

1887- 88 — A Row  Among  Workmen — Germany's  Need — Criticise 
Industrial  Work — Horrors  of  Slave  Traffic — Heathen  Burial.  184 

CHAPTER  XXXVIII. 

1888- 89 — Appreciation  of  .T.  Corner — Thirty-two  Years  of  Ser- 
vice-Division in  the  Church — Signed  the  Proclamation....  189 

CHAPTER  XXXIX. 

1889- 90 — Review  of  Progress — Appreciation  of  Aid  From  Other 

Missionary  Associations — Men  Who  Did  Things — Triumphant 
Native  Christians — Tom  Tucker,  Christian,  Poisoned 193 

CHAPTER  XL. 

1890- 91 — No  Regular  Employment — Rev.  C.  Bischoff — Rev.  J.  K. 

Billheimer  and  Other  Workers  in  Africa 199 

CHAPTERS  XLI.  AlSlD  XL1I. 

1S91-92-93 — A United  Brethren  Pastor — Preaching  for  Congre- 
gationalists — The  Proprieties — Some  Experiences — Among  the 
Unfortunates  of  London 203 

# 

CHAPTER  XLIII. 

1893- 94 — A Congregational  Pastorate — Types  of  Church-Members 

— Would  Not  Unite — A Prohibitionist 208 

CHAPTER  XLIV. 

1894- 95 — Serving  a Mission  Church — “Pioneer  Sermon”— The 

Many  Lives  of  a Debt- — Hard  Work  and  Worry  211 

CHAPTER  XLV. 

1895- 96 — Soliciting — Thrown  Over  an  Embankment  and  Injured  216 

CHAPTER  XLVI. 

1896- 97 — An  Eventful  Year — A Letter — To  Africa  for  the  Radi- 
cals— A Remarkable  Meeting — Meeting  the  Head  Man 219 

CHAPTER  XLVII. 

1897- 98 — Holding  Missionary  Meetings — Joint  Missionary  Maga- 
zine-Letter to  Miami  Conference . 223 


CHAPTER  XLVIII. 


189S-99 — Elected  Missionary  Secretary — At  Huntington,  Ind. — 

An  Absent-Minded  Minister 225 

CHAPTER  XLIX. 

1898- 99 — Uprising  in  Africa — D.  F.  Wilberforce  Escapes — 

“Boofima,”  the  Rufus  Clark  School — Naming  Children 228 

CHAPTER  L. 

1899- 1900 — The  Madness  of  Heathenism — The  Wilberforce  Para- 
mount Chief — Still  Pleading  for  Africa 233 

' CHAPTER  LI. 

1900- 01 — Radical  United  Brethren  Missionary  Work — After 

Fifty-One  Years — Reason  for  Selecting  Africa 236 

CHAPTER  LI I. 

1901- 02 — Division — A Plea  for  Different  Methods  239 

CHAPTER  LI  1 1. 

1902- 03 — Gave  a Bible  to  a Mohammedan — A Rooster  for  Mis- 
sions— A Native's  Contribution — Neither  Poverty  Nor  Riches  242 

CHAPTER  LIY. 

1903- 04 — Trouble  and  Sickness — African  Incidents — The  Con- 
verted Deck  Hand — Won  the  Debate 245 

CHAPTER  LV. 

1904- 5 — Grieved — Saddening  Events — Retires  From  the  Mission- 
ary Secretaryship — Reunites  With  Miami  Conference 249 

CHAPTER  LVI. 

1905- 07 — Reflex  Influence  of  Foreign  Missions — A Difficult  Field 

— Results — A Glorious  Future  253 

CHAPTER  LVII. 

Random  Recollections — Numerous  Observations,  Bits  of  Expe- 
rience, Interesting  Events,  Amusing  Incidents 256 


ILLUSTRATIONS 


Rev.  W.  J.  Shuey 
Dr.  D.  C.  Kumler 
Rev.  J.  C.  Beioht 
Re\  . John  Kemp 
Rev.  J.  K.  Bili.hetmer 
Mrs.  A.  L.  Billheimer 
Rev.  O.  Hadley 
Rev.  Joseph  Gomer 
Mrs.  Joseph  Gomer 

Rufus  Clark  and  Wife  Training  School 

Mary  Sowers  Girls’  Home 

First  Mission  Chapel  in  Africa 

Daniel  Flickinger  Wilberforce 

Mrs.  Mary  Sowers 

Mrs.  Sylvia  Haywood 

Rev.  R.  N.  West  and  Wife 

In  Africa 

Rev.  I.  N.  Cain 

Mrs.  Mary  M.  Cain 

Miss  Ella  Schenck 

Miss  Mary  C.  Archer 

Miss  Marietta  Hatfield 

Rev.  and  Mrs.  L.  A.  McGrew 

Martyr  Memorial  Church 

Flickinger  Chapel.  Shenge,  Africa 


INTRODUCTION 


Fifty-five  years  of  active  life  in  the  gospel  ministry,  having 
served  in  the  capacity  of  “circuit  rider,”  stationed  preacher, 
home  missionary,  foreign  missionary,  presiding  elder,  corres- 
ponding secretary  of  the  Missionary  Society,  and  missionary 
bishop,  has  given  me  an  extensive  knowledge  of  the  work  in  the 
United  Brethren  Church.  Going  to  Africa  twelve  times,  first  in 
the  year  1855,  and  last  in  1896,  and  spending  several  years  in 
missionary  work  in  that  country;  visiting  Germany  eight. times 
between  the  years  1874  and  1889,  and  spending  in  all  over  one 
year  there,  acting  as  presiding  elder  part  of  that  time,  and  being 
bishop  of  that  field  for  four  years,  gave  me  a good  knowledge  of 
those  mission  fields.  Spending  six  months  on  the  Pacific  Coast, 
during  the  years  of  1873  and  1884,  in  the  States  of  California, 
Oregon,  and  Washington,  doing  mission  work;  also  in  Colorado, 
Kentucky,  and  Tennessee,  preaching  at  all  the  places  where 
United  Brethren  missionaries  had  appointments;  visiting  all 
other  mission  districts,  and  mission  conferences,  to  which  the 
United  Brethren  Board  of  Missions  gave  support  in  this  country 
— these  being  in  Ohio,  Indiana,  Illinois,  Missouri,  Iowa, 
Nebraska,  Wisconsin,  Michigan,  and  Canada — while  correspond- 
ing secretary  of  the  Missionary  Society,  from  1857  to  1885, 
gave  me  a full  knowledge  of  the  condition  of  things  in  these 
places.  I also  attended  over  two  hundred  sessions  of  annual 
conferences  in  the  interest  of  missions  and  other  Church  enter- 
prises. I selected  the  headquarters  of  the  African  mission,  and 
many  other  positions  occupied  there.  I suggested  and  managed 
the  transfer  of  the  Mendi  mission  from  the  American  Missionary 
Association  to  the  United  Brethren,  making  a trip  to  Africa 
especially  for  that  purpose.  I also  organized  the  first  United 
Brethren  societies  in  Africa,  and  later  missionary  districts 
(conferences),  there  and  in  Germany,  and  had  much  to  do  with 
both  from  their  commencement  till  the  Church  divided  in  1889, 
at  w'hich  time  they  were  in  a prosperous  condition.  Of  the 
594,000  miles  I traveled,  at  least  570,000  were  in  behalf  of 
Church  work,  mostly  for  missions. 


13 


It  is  indeed  remarkable  how  much  may  transpire  in  fifty-five 
years  of  active  work  in  the  gospel  ministry.  Dr.  Talmage  once 
said  that  one  could  live  more  now  in  ten  years  than  Methuselah 
did  in  nine  hundred  years.  Extravagant  as  such  a statement 
may  seem,  it  is  true  in  respect  to  many  things,  some  of  which 
were  not  known  in  the  days  of  Methuselah.  St.  John’s  declara- 
tion seems  as  extravagant  as  that,  “And  there  are  also  many 
other  things  which  Jesus  did,  the  which,  if  they  should  be 
written  every  one,  I suppose  that  even  the  world  itself  could 
not  contain  the  books.” 

Many  of  the  incidents  and  anecdotes  narrated  in  the  following 
pages  were  witnessed  by  me,  I often  being  an  actor  in  them. 
The  reader  will  bear  in  mind  that  this  is  not  intended  to  be  a 
history,  or  an  autobiography,  or  a missionary  journal,  or  a 
record  of  current  events,  but  reminiscences  thrown  together, 
one  part  of  which,  in  some  instances,  having  no  relation  to  any 
other  part.  Neither  are  the  anecdotes  and  incidents  intended 
always  to  illustrate  the  matter  in  connection  with  which  they 
stand,  but  for  the  humor  and  good  points  in  them  they  have 
been  inserted. 

I wish  to  record  my  gratitude  to  God  that  he  called  me  into 
his  service  sixty-seven  years  ago,  and  into  the  active  work  of 
the  ministry  over  fifty-five  years  ago.  How  mercifully  and  lov- 
ingly he  has  cared  for  me  in  perils  by  land  and  sea!  Truly  his 
everlasting  arms  have  been  beneath  and  around  me.  Once  on 
the  ocean  the  vessel  in  which  I sailed  collided  with  another;  on 
another  occasion  the  steamer  lost  its  rudder  one  thousand  miles 
from  land;  once  a gale  carried  the  vessel  across  the  Gulf  Stream, 
out  of  its  way,  staving  in  the  sides;  then,  in  Africa,  on  small, 
frail  row-boats,  several  times  it  looked  as  if  death  was  in- 
evitable; the  African  fever  once  so  prostrated  me  that  I was 
given  up  to  die,  and  one  time,  in  America,  the  doctors  said  I 
could  not  live  three  months  on  account  of  the  poisonous  effects 
of  African  fever  in  my  system.  Truly  goodness  and  mercy  have 
followed  me  all  the  days  of  my  life! 

Perhaps  the  greatest  wonder  of  all,  and  the  one  for  which  I 
should  praise  God  the  most,  is  that  marvelous  grace  that  has 
made  me  an  heir  of  salvation.  But  for  the  restraints  of  religion, 
my  impetuous  disposition,  high  metal,  and  readiness  to  retaliate 
insults  would  have  led  me  from  bad  to  worse,  no  doubt,  and  re- 
sulted in  my  death  long  ago. 

I wish  here  to  say  that  after  very  extensive  and  careful 
observation,  and  a long  and  varied  experience  in  religious  mat- 
ters and  Christian  work,  the  religion  of  Christ  does  for  men 


14 


what  St.  Paul  declares  he  was  sent  to  do;  namely,  “To  open  their 
eyes,  and  to  turn  them  from  darkness  to  light,  and  from  the 
power  of  Satan  unto  God,  that  they  may  receive  forgiveness  of 
sins,  and  inheritance  among  them  which  are  sanctified  by  faith.” 
It  does  save  the  chief  of  sinners  from  all  moral  guilt,  pollution, 
enmity  to  God  and  man,  and  fits  those  who  heartily  embrace  it 
for  happy,  useful  living,  victorious  dying,  and  a home  with  God 
and  the  glorified  in  heaven. 


\ 


/ 


' 


I 


'i 


FIFTY-FIVE  YEARS  OF  ACTIVE  LIFE  IN  THE 
GOSPEL  MINISTRY 


CHAPTER  I. 

1850-51 — First  Circuit — Hide  Good  for  Forty  Years — Local  Preachers 
— Surprised  the  Quarterly  Conference. 

I became  a member  of  the  Church  of  the  United  Brethren 
in  Christ  in  November,  1839,  and  received  quarterly  confer- 
ence license  to  preach  the  gospel  in  April,  1849.  I united 
with  the  Miami  Annual  Conference  in  October,  1850,  and  be- 
came an  unreserved  itinerant,  which  relation  I have  sustained 
ever  since.  In  1895,  I withdrew  from  Miami  Conference 
of  the  United  Brethren  Church  and  united  with  the  Scioto 
Annual  Conference  of  the  Radical  United  Brethren  Church, 
from  which  I transferred  in  1901,  returning  to  the  Church  in 
1905,  and  reuniting  with  the  Miami  Conference  in  1906. 

I received  my  first  appointment  in  October,  1850,  when 
Miami  Conference  sent  me  and  Rev.  R.  Norris  to  the  Mt. 
Pleasant  Circuit,  a circuit  of  nine  appointments,  near  the  city 
of  Cincinnati,  Ohio.  Mr.  Norris  was  the  senior,  and  I the 
junior  preacher.  This  action  of  the  conference  did  not  meet 
the  approval  of  a certain  minister  of  our  Church  living  on 
that  circuit,  for  the  reason  that  Mr.  Norris  was  too  well 
known,  and  I not  well  enough.  That  minister  had  served  as 
presiding  elder  a year  or  two,  and  always  wanted  either  that 
office  or  his  home  circuit.  He  had  a controlling  interest  in  a 
small  store  in  the  town  in  which  he  lived,  which  made  him 
prefer  that  field  of  labor,  when  he  was  not  chosen  to  the  office 
of  presiding  elder.  Among  other  things,  he  said  that  it  re- 


17 


Fifty-five  Years  of  Active  Life 

quired  good  preaching  to  satisfy  the  people  there,  and  that  if 
a man  could  please  them  for  one  year,  his  hide  would  last  him 
forty  years.  This  word,  which  was  meant  to  keep  us  from  ac- 
cepting the  field,  reached  us  before  we  went  to  the  circuit. 

Mr.  Norris  and  I talked  over  the  situation,  and  decided 
that,  to  the  best  of  our  ability,  we  would  do  the  work  that  the 
conference  had  assigned  us.  Mr.  Norris  being  preacher  in 
charge,  and  responsible  for  the  management  of  the  circuit, 
made  the  first  round,  and  announced  my  coming  two  weeks 
later.  We  met  with  little  opposition.  Early  in  the  year  we 
commenced  holding  protracted  meetings,  during  which  time 
we  visited  a good  deal.  By  the  help  of  the  local  preachers  we 
kept  up  the  regular  appointments,  and  held  revival  services 
nearly  all  the  winter,  receiving  nearly  one  hundred  members 
into  the  Church  during  the  year,  and  left  the  circuit  in  good 
condition. 

Among  the  local  preachers  living  on  that  circuit  was  one 
who  was  original  and  witty,  and  had  the  courage  of  his  con- 
victions. He  had  traveled  a circuit  in  his  younger  years, 
and  continued  to  do  a good  deal  of  preaching,  especially  on 
funeral  occasions.  He  hated  shams,  and  loved  plain  evangeli- 
cal preaching.  Once  he  was  listening  for  about  an  hour  to  a 
man  who  never  could  preach  much,  and  on  that  occasion  was 
doing  worse  than  usual.  His  text  was,  “Sow  to  yourselves  in 
righteousness,  reap  in  mercy : break  up  your  fallow  ground : 
for  it  is  time  to  seek  the  Lord,  till  he  come  and  rain  righteous- 
ness upon  you.” 

Sitting  in  the  pulpit  with  him,  the  local  preacher  spoke 

right  out  and  said,  “Brother  J /you  better  unhitch,  and 

take  your  plow  to  the  smith-shop,  and  get  it  sharpened.”  On 
another  occasion  a man  who  had  little  qualification  for  the 
ministry  was  trying  to  preach.  For  nearly  an  hour  he  had 
blundered  on,  when  he  remarked  that  he  had  then  reached  a 
place  where  a large  field  opened  before  him.  Just  then  that 
old  preacher,  who  sat  near  to  the  pulpit,  spoke  out : “0  Lord, 
put  up  the  bars,  so  Brother  L can’t  get  into  that  field, 


18 


In  the  Gospel  Ministry 

for  we  are  tired  and  Avant  to  go  home  to  dinner.”  This  old 
minister  and  the  two  whom  he  rebuked  being  farmers,  and  the 
congregations  composed  mostly  of  farmers,  the  statements 
made  about  getting  the  plow  sharpened  and  putting  up  the 
bars  were  well  understood,  and  in  both  cases  brought  the 
harangues  to  a speedy  close. 

That  old  minister  had  a near  neighbor  who  was  an  infidel, 
and  who  sought  at  times  to  ridicule  him  about  his  religion. 
One  day  the  neighbor  called  him  over  to  his  corn-field  to  see 
what  was  wrong  with  the  corn,  which  did  not  grow  as  fast  as 
the  preacher’s  in  an  adjoining  field.  He  went,  and  the  infidel 
said  to  him,  “I  know  you  believe  in  prayer ; now  you  pray  that 
my  corn  may  grow  as  fast  as  yours.”  “Yes,”  said  the  min- 
ister, “I  do  believe  in  praying,  hut  that  will  do  no  good  in 
this  case.  What  you  need  to  do  is  to  keep  the  weeds  out  of 
your  field  and  enrich  the  ground,  as  I did  mine.”  Then, 
stepping  in  front  of  him  and  looking  him  square  in  the  face, 
he  said,  “God  never  answered  a prayer  to  do  for  men  what 
they  could  do  for  themselves.  I can’t  pray  for  your  corn-field ; 
hut  I will  pray  God  to  take  away  your  laziness,  and  make  you 
an  industrious,  good  man.”  That  infidel  never  attempted  to 
mock  that  minister  again,  and  soon  moved  away  to  another 
neighborhood. 

T on  may  wonder  how  I succeeded  in  preaching.  As  I had 
attempted  to  preach  hut  four  or  five  times  before  being  sent 
to  my  first  charge,  and  not  using  others’  sermon  sketches  and 
skeletons,  I was  compelled  to  study  hard  and  pray  much  to 
be  able  to  do  the  work  required  of  me.  I would  write  sermon 
outlines  and  memorize  them  on  the  way  to  my  appointments. 
I learned  that  God  helped  me  most  to  preach  when  I helped 
myself  most,  and  that  the  Holy  Spirit  did  assist  me,  but  that 
he  never  did  for  me  what  God’s  Word  required  of  me,  in  the 
injunction,  “Study  to  shew  thyself  approved  unto  God,  a 
workman  that  needeth  not  to  be  ashamed,  rightly  dividing  the 
word  of  truth.” 


19 


Fifty^ftve  Years  of  Active  Life 

The  third  quarterly  meeting  for  the  year  was  held  in  April, 
1851.  Just  as  the  quarterly  conference  was  about  to  close  its 
business  on  Saturday  evening,  a motion  was  made  asking  Mr. 
Norris  to  resign,  on  the  grounds  that  the  circuit  was  unable 
to  pay  the  salaries  of  two  men.  The  Disciplinary  allowance 
then  was  eighty  dollars  a year  for  a single  man,  and  one  hun- 
dred and  sixty  dollars  for  a married  man.  As  we  were  both 
married,  three  hundred  and  twenty  dollars  were  to  be  given  us. 
Mr.  Norris  was  a poor  man;  I owned  a good  farm  of  one 
hundred  and  sixty  acres  of  land.  There  was  considerable 
salary  due  us,  and  the  idea  of  sending  away  unpaid  the  man 
who  could  not  live  without  his  salary,  and  keeping  me  who 
could  live  without  the  stipend,  aroused  my  indignation.  The 
circuit  was  rich,  and  could  easily  have  paid  all  that  was  re- 
quired, and  I felt  it  to  be  an  outrage  to  treat  Mr.  Norris  in 
that  way.  Just  as  the  quarterly  conference  was  about  to  vote 
on  the  motion  I interrupted  the  proceedings,  and  told  them 
that  if  they  adopted  that  motion  I would  be  on  my  horse,  then 
hitched  near  the  church,  in  ten  minutes,  and  go  home  that 
night,  eleven  miles  distant,  and  never  return  to  that  circuit 
to  preach  again,  declaring  that  I would  rather  preach  for 
nothing  to  people  too  poor  to  pay,  than  to  preach  to  rich, 
stingy  people  for  one  hundred  and  sixty  dollars  a year.  There 
was  something  in  my  manner  that  made  that  conference  feel 
they  ought  not  pass  that  motion,  and  it  was  withdrawn.  The 
religious  services  that  night  and  the  following  day  were  good, 
and  we  both  stayed  the  remainder  of  the  j'ear,  and  all  went  on 
smoothly.  The  sum  total  received  was  two  hundred  and 
eighty-one  dollars  for  the  year’s  work,  Mr.  Norris  getting 
one  hundred  and  sixty  dollars,  and  I one  hundred  and  twenty- ' 
one  dollars,  the  division  being  in  accordance  with  my  wishes. 

The  presiding  elder  of  that  year  had  a few  favorite  ser- 
mons. He  held  two  quarterly  meetings  on  circuits  but  four 
miles  apart,  attended  by  the  pastors  and  many  of  the  people 
of  both  circuits,  and  he  preached  the  same  sermon  at  both 
places.  One  of  the  pastors  deplored  the  occurrence,  and  told 


20 


In  the  Gospel  Ministry 


the  elder  that  he  had  thereby  lessened  his  influence  for  good, 
especially  with  irreligious  people.  The  presiding  elder  justi- 
fied his  course  by  saying  that  he  could  see  no  objections' to 
using  the  plow  that  had  done  good  work  in  one  field  to  culti- 
vate another,  especially  when  the  soil  was  about  the  same 
kind.  Notwithstanding  his  reasoning,  his  course  injured  our 
cause. 

Just  before  closing  my  work  on  that  circuit,  I bought  a 
home  in  Oxford,  Ohio,  with  a view  of  moving  there  and  com- 
pleting a course  of  study  at  Miami  University.  I left  the 
session  of  the  next  annual  conference  before  its  adjourn- 
ment, on  account  of  the  sickness  of  my  wife,  who  died  the 
following  Monday  night.  This  unexpected  bereavement,  leav- 
ing me  with  two  children,  the  one  near  three  years  old,  and 
the  other  less  than  a week  old,  changed  all  my  plans. 


21 


CHAPTER  II. 


1851-52 — Education — Changing  the  Hour  for  Service — Whisky  in  the 
Harvest  Field — Baptizing  a Big  Man — Camp-meeting. 

When  about  fifteen  years  of  age  I requested  my  father  to 
let  me  go  to  college  five  years,  in  lieu  of  receiving  a deed  to  a 
farm  worth  about  $5,000,  which  I was  told  should  become 
mine  at  twenty-one.  This  was  denied  me,  and  my  education 
was  all  obtained  in  a small  country  school,  except  what  I got 
after  the  age  of  twenty-one,  when  I attended  a seminary  one 
3rear,  preparatory  to  my  entering  upon  a full  college  course. 
Failing  health  prevented  the  realization  of  this  purpose. 
When  I felt  it  my  duty  to  preach,  I more  than  ever  desired  a 
good  education,  and  notified  the  conference  that  I intended  to 
go  to  college.  Contrary  to  my  wishes,  it  sent  me  to  Lewis- 
burg  Circuit.  That  field  had  six  regular  appointments,  to 
be  filled  once  every  two  weeks,  and  not  being  in  good  condi- 
tion to  attend  college,  on  account  of  the  death  of  my  wife, 
I went  to  the  circuit  with  the  view  of  serving  it  for  a time,  but 
not  the  whole  year.  At  the  second  quarterly  meeting  I of- 
fered my  resignation,  my  health  not  being  good,  owing  to 
hard  work  done  in  revival  meetings.  This  resignation  was  ac- 
cepted on  condition  that  I would  continue  to  work  until  one 
could  be  found  to  take  my  place,  which  never  was  done.  At 
the  end  of  the  third  quarter  I was  induced  to  continue  to 
preach  till  the  end  of  that  year. 

At  one  of  the  oldest  preaching  places  on  that  circuit  the 
meetings  had  always  been  held  at  eleven  o’clock  in  the  fore- 
noon. There  was  an  appointment  six  miles  from  that  place 
at  two-thirty  in  the  afternoon,  and  the  roads  being  bad  in 
the  winter,  I asked  to  have  the  meetings  at  the  former  place 


22 


In  the  Gospel  Ministry 


held  at  ten  o'clock.  Serious  objections  were  made,  but  the 
privilege  was  given  me  to  try,  with  the  assurance  that  the  at- 
tempt would  fail,  as  all  former  attempts  had  done.  I then 
told  them  that  my  next  meeting  would  be  at  eleven  o’clock, 
as  usual,  but  after  that  at  ten,  and  that  they  should  arrange 
accordingly.  The  people  smiled  at  my  folly  for  trying  to 
change.  In  two  weeks  I emphasized  that  after  that  time  the 
meetings  would  be  at  ten  o’clock  promptly.  So  it  was,  but  the 
first  Sunday  my  audience  consisted  of  the  sexton  of  that 
church  and  one  woman.  The  usual  congregation  was  coming 
as  the  meeting  closed.  They  were  told  again  that  the  hour 
would  be  ten  in  the  future,  and  at  the  next  service  about  one- 
half  of  the  people  were  there,  but  after  that  the  usual  con- 
gregation got  there  at  ten  o’clock. 

I had  another  embarrassing  experience  at  that  same  church. 
Some  of  the  members,  among  them  the  class-leader,  would 
drink  whisky  in  harvest  time,  and  give  it  to  their  harvest 
hands.  When  they  were  told  that  it  was  a violation  of  our 
Discipline,  and  asked  to  desist,  they  laughed  and  almost  de- 
fied me,  knowing  that  the  class  would  not  act  or  assist  me  in 
enforcing  the  Discipline.  They  were  rich  and  paid  well,  it 
was  said,  and  they  had  better  be  left  alone.  I visited  them 
the  last  time  on  Sabbath  morning  on  my  way  to  church  to 
preach  my  last  sermon  for  that  year.  I plead  with  them  to 
promise  not  to  take  whisky  to  their  harvest-fields,  or  to  use  it 
at  any  time  as  a beverage.  They  refused  to  consent  to  my  re- 
quest, but  told  me  that  as  I was  making  so  much  ado  about 
the  matter,  I should  take  their  names  off  the  class-book.  I 
told  them  that  they  had  better  stay  in  the  Church  and  obey 
its  rules,  but  if  they  insisted  on  my  erasing  their  names  it 
might  be  done.  None  of  them  would  accompany  me  to 
church,  but  I found  a local  preacher  there  from  an  adjoining 
circuit,  who  was  on  the  side  of  the  law-breakers.  I had  him 
sit  in  the  pulpit  and  make  the  opening  prayer.  He  then  told 
me  that  he  wished  to  advise  with  me  after  the  services  respect- 
ing the  trouble  there.  As  I had  advised  with  about  half  a 


23 


Fifty-five  Years  of  Active  Life 

dozen  other  local  preachers  on  that  circuit,  and  most  of  them 
in  that  class,  and  as  that  was  my  last  Sunday  there,  I felt  the 
time  for  action  had  come.  After  the  sermon  I made  a short 
prayer,  and  proceeded  to  say  that  as  the  persons  who  had  been 
violating  our  Discipline,  in  the  use  of  strong  drink,  refused 
to  promise  reformation,  but  had  authorized  me  to  take  their 
names  off  the  class-book,  I therefore,  at  their  request,  declared 
that  they  were  no  longer  members  of  the  United  Brethren 
Church.  By  that  time  the  local  preacher  in  the  pulpit  was 
pulling  my  coat-tail,  saying  that  they  could  not  be  put  out 
of  the  Church  without  the  action  of  that  class,  to  whibh  I re- 
plied that  they  had  a right  to  withdraw  from  the  Church,  and 
upon  their  authorization;,  I had  the  right  to  say  that  they  had 
withdrawn,  and  hence  were  no  longer  members  of  the  Church. 
They  had  boastingly  said  that  their  preacher  could  not  get 
them  out  of  the  Church,  neither  could  I have  done  so  had  they 
not  so  ordered.  So  dissatisfied  were  they  and  their  friends 
that  the  matter  was  taken  to  the  annual  conference,  and  the 
Bishop  was  asked  to  reverse  the  verdict  of  the  preacher.  His 
reply  was  that  the  young  preacher  may  have  been  a little 
hasty  in  doing  what  he  did,  but  he  was  evidently  on  the  right 
track,  and  hence  the  matter  had  better  be  left  as  it  was.  That 
rich  class-leader  soon  afterward  moved  into  one  of  the  West- 
ern States,  quit  keeping  whisky  in  harvest  time,  came  back 
into  the  Church,  and  gave  several  hundred  dollars  to  build  a 
house  of  worship  where  he  then  belonged. 

There  was  another  grand  triumph  over  whisky  that  year  at 
another  place  on  the  circuit  during  a revival  meeting  held 
there.  A young  man  having  a wife  and  three  children  was 
drunk  much  of  the  time,  causing  his  family  to  suffer  a good 
deal.  He  came  to  a morning  meeting  and  asked  the  prayers 
of  those  present,  and  then  kneeled  at  the  altar.  We  all  knew 
that  he  had  been  drunk  the  night  before,  which  caused  a little 
hesitancy  on  our  part.  He  imploringly  said,  “Do  help  me,  for 
I am  a miserable  sinner.”  Wfe  gathered  around  the  man  and 
prayed,  and  instructed  him  as  best  we  could.  He  came  to  the 


24 


In  the  Gospel  Ministry 


night  meeting,  and  kept  on  coming  until  he  professed  to  be 
saved,  and  then  united  with  the  Church,  and  as  long  as  I 
knew  him,  which  was  for  some  years  after  that,  he  was  a con- 
sistent Christian. 

At  the  same  meeting  twelve  unusually  large  men  united 
with  the  Church  one  Sabbath  morning.  I exhorted  them  to 
“put  on  the  whole  armor  of  God,  that  they  might  stand 
against  the  wiles  of  the  devil.”  A wag  remarked  at  the  close 
of  the  meeting,  that  twelve  large  men  like  those  ought  to  be 
able  to  whip  the  devil  without  any  armor. 

At  the  close  of  the  first  revival  that  year  a number  were 
baptized  by  immersion,  and  among  them  several  large  men, 
and  a woman  who  weighed  two  hundred  and  fifty  pounds, 
which  was  twice  as  much  as  I weighed.  Some  fears  were  ex- 
pressed that  I could  not  handle  them;  but  I did,  by  having 
all  kneel  in  the  water  before  I dipped  them  into  it.  The  year 
closed  with  seventy  additions  to  the  Church,  my  salary  all 
paid,  and  all  the  pnoney  to  the  various  Church  enterprises 
provided  in  full,  and  some  overpaid. 

On  my  way  to  conference  I attended  a camp-meeting  of 
remarkable  power,  east  of  Cincinnati,  Ohio.  The  meeting  com- 
menced on  Tuesday  night,  and  was  to  continue  until  the  fol- 
lowing Tuesday  morning.  I arrived  there  on  Thursday  in  a 
shower  of  rain;  the  next  day,  in  the  forenoon,  I preached  be- 
tween showers,  and  on  Sunday  afternoon  I preached,  having 
to  stop  twice  on  account  of  showers  of  rain.  On  Monday 
toward  noon  it  cleared  up,  and  that  afternoon  dry  straw  was 
provided  for  the  altar  and  space  immediately  in  front  of  the 
preacher’s  stand.  After  a sermon  that  night  an  invitation 
was  given  to  the  unsaved  to  come  to  the  altar  and  seek  salva- 
tion. In  a few  minutes  about  fifty  were  there,  and  forty  of 
them  professed  to  be  saved ; the  next  night  sixty  persons 
knelt  at  the  altar,  nearly  all  professing  conversion.  That 
night  while  we  were  at  the  altar  laboring  with  the  seekers  of 
religion,  some  one  began  to  shout.  A local  preacher  present 
called  out  at  the  top  of  his  voice  that  it  was  not  the  time  to 


25 


Fifty-five  Years  of  Active  Life 


shout,  saying  that  we  should  mourn  with  those  who  mourn, 
and  then  rejoice  with  them  after  they  had  found  the  Savior 
in  the  forgiveness  of  their  sins.  That  stopped  all  shouting 
for  a time,  but  it  was  resumed  a little  later,  when  about  fifty 
persons  were  at  it  with  all  their  might. 


26 


CHAPTER  III. 


1852-53 — Traveling — Colporteur  Experiences  in  Cincinnati — “Every- 
thing has  to  be  Leavened.” 

My  health  continuing  poor,  I deemed  it  best  not  to  accept 
a circuit,  and  being  averse  to  asking  for  a location,  I took  a 
transfer  to  unite  with  any  annual  conference  I might  choose. 
Bishop  Glossbrenner,  who  presided  at  that  conference,  went 
from  there  to  the  Indiana,  Wabash,  Iowa,  and  Illinois  con- 
ferences, and  I accompanied  him  to  them  all,  being  gone 
nearly  two  months  before  returning  to  Ohio. 

I greatly  enjoyed  that  trip.  The  travel  and  rest  much  im- 
proved my  health.  The  poverty,  privations,  and  hard  work  of 
itinerants  in  the  West,  with  their  zeal  for  the  salvation  of 
men,  greatly  excited  my  admiration  and  sympathy.  I gave 
them  all  the  spare  money  I had  with  me  and  my  watch, 
amounting  to  about  fifty  dollars.  Itinerating  in  the  West 
then  implied  many  hardships.  The  circuits  were  large,  ex- 
posure to  inclement  weather  great,  and  the  pay  small. 

I remained  in  Ohio  about  a month  after  I returned  from 
the  West,  and  then  went  to  Virginia,  spending  nearly  two 
months  at  the  home  of  Bishop  Glossbrenner  and  in  that  vicin- 
ity. I did  a considerable  amount  of  preaching  during  all  of 
these  months  of  travel  in  the  East  and  West.  On  the  9th  of 
January,  1853,  I was  married  to  Miss  Catherine  Glossbrenner, 
the  oldest  child  of  Bishop  Glossbrenner. 

The  first  United  Brethren  Church  in  Cincinnati,  Ohio,  had 
operated  a mission  Sunday  school  for  some  time,  and  the 
American  Tract  Society  wished  a colporteur  for  the  part  of 
Cincinnati  in  which  that  school  was  held,  the  building  used 
being  a rickety  old  house,  once  occupied  as  a residence.  I was 
appointed  as  a colporteur  and  city  missionary,  and  preached 


27 


Fifty-five  Years  of  Active  Life 


on  Sabbath  to  congregations  varying  from  three  to  fifty  per- 
sons. As  colporteur  I visited  as  many  as  forty  and  fifty  fam- 
ilies a day  when  the  weather  was  good,  having  tracts  to  give 
away  and  books  to  sell.  I talked  with  the  people  respecting 
their  religious  condition,  praying  with  them  when  permitted 
and  it  seemed  advisable.  This  work  continued  until  Miami 
Conference  met  in  the  fall  of  1853,  when  I returned  to  it  for 
work.  The  mission  in  Cincinnati  was  discontinued,  but  my 
work  as  colporteur  and  missionary  opened  my  eyes  to  the  sad 
condition  of  some  people  and  their  need  of  being  saved.  I 
learned  that  truly  the  tares  and  wheat  grew  together  in  this 
world,  that  saints  and  scoffers  at  religion  lived  next  door 
neighbors. 

In  one  instance  the  mistress  of  the  house,  in  the  presence 
of  her  children,  some  of  whom  were  nearly  grown,  said  that 
she  had  no  use  for  any  such  books  as  were  published  by  the 
American  Tract  Society,  or  of  the  Bible  itself.  She  had  got- 
ten quite  beyond  such  old  productions,  and  received  revela- 
tions from  God  direct  when  she  desired  them.  When  asked 
if  it  would  be  agreeable  to  pray  there,  she  replied  that  if  it 
would  do  me  any  good  it  would  be  all  right,  but  they  did  not 
need  it.  I prayed,  nevertheless,  and  while  upon  my  knees 
she  and  her  children  sat  and  made  fun  of  me.  On  another 
occasion  the  man  of  the  house,  after  saying  ugly  things  against 
Christians  and  their  books,  remarked,  “You  are  welcome  to 
pray,  but  I will  not  quit  smoking  while  you  do  so.”  He  made 
the  room  dark  with  smoke.  In  a few  instances  I was  not  al- 
lowed to  show  my  books,  or  to  leave  tracts  to  be  read,  and  in 
one  place  I was  ordered  out  of  the  house  by  a Catholic  family, 
who  said  their  priest  had  told  them  to  do  so,  if  any  one  tried 
to  sell  them  books. 

Once,  during  very  hot  weather,  I was  entertained  by  a 
farmer  who  told  me,  when  taking  me  to  my  bedroom,  that  the 
reason  he  always  had  the  windows  and  doors  closed  where  he 
slept  was  that  he  feared  some  evil  would  befall  him  in  the 
night  while  passing  through  China.  His  idea  was  that  in  the 


28 


In  the  Gospel  Ministry 


rotation  of  the  earth  we  passed  through  China  about  mid- 
night. My  experience  with  some  people  as  colpor- 
teur caused  me  to  feel  that  all  the  windows  and 
doors  ought  to  be  closed  against  their  blasphemous  and 
outrageous  conduct,  so  others  might  not  be  contaminated  by 
them.  No  wonder  St.  Paul  says,  “And  have  no  fellowship 
with  the  unfruitful'  works  of  darkness,  but  rather  reprove 
them.” 

Having  behn  brought  up  in  the  country,  by  honest  Pennsyl- 
vania parents,  and  never  having  mingled  with  people  who 
neither  feared  God  nor  respected  their  fellow-men,  these  ex- 
periences were  new,  impressive,  and  in  a sense  important  to  me. 
Having  entered  the  ministry  without  any  special  training  or 
preparation  for  that  work,  and  having  nearly  everything  to 
learn  during  the  first  three  years,  I was  poorly  prepared  to 
perform  some  of  the  obligations  resting  upon  me  as  a min- 
ister. 

I have  often  been  reminded  of  the  truth  of  what  an  old 
fisherman  told  me  when  I was  a mere  lad.  We  had  the  same 
kind  of  poles,  lines,  hooks,  and  bait,  and  we  sat  within  ten 
feet  of  each  other  on  the  bank  of  the  river,  but  that  man 
caught  from  ^hree  to  four  times  as  many  fish  as  I did.  When 
I askbd  why  it  was,  the  old  man  answered,  “Everything  has 
to  be  learned,  young  man.”  Truly  so  it  has  been  in  my  life. 
My  experience  when  about  sixteen  years  of  age  convinced  me 
that  so  simple  a thing  as  riding  an  ox  had  to  be  learned.  An 
older  brother  and  I had  gone  about  twenty-five  miles  from 
home  and  bought  a drove  of  hogs.  We  hired  a young  man 
to  assist  us,  whose  father  also  went  with  us  to  take  a yoke  of 
oxen  to  market.  The  road  for  about  half  a mile  led  through 
woods,  and  we  were  kept  very  busy  preventing  our  drove  from 
getting  away.  A full  hour  was  spent  in  getting  them  to  the  long 
lane  through  which  we  passed  afterward.  As  soon  as  all  were 
in  the  lane  I gave  the  young  man,  who  was  afoot  and  tired, 
my  horse  to  ride,  and  I walked.  The  mud  was  deep  and  I 
soon  got  tired,  when  the  owner  of  the  oxen  told  me  to  get  on 


29 


Fifty-five  Years  of  Active  Life 


the  back  of  the  near  ox,  as  he  had  often  been  ridden.  I soon 
was  astride  the  animal,  and  all  went  well  enough  except  the 
oxen  did  not  keep  up  with  the  hogs.  Having  a spur  on  my 
right  foot,  I pricked  the  beast  a little,  causing  him  to  step  for- 
ward more  briskly  for  a time,  but  he  soon  dropped  back  to 
the  old  gait.  I spurred  him  again,  a little  harder  than  the 
first  time,  when  that  ox  gave  a furious  bawl,  and  kicked  so 
high  that  I turned  a complete  somersault  over  his  head  into 
the  mud,  which  was  so  soft  that  it  received  a good  imprint  of 
my  whole  body.  The  eyes  of  the  ox  flashed  fire,  and  his 
great  horns  were  close  to  my  head,  but  he  did  not  attempt  to 
injure  me.  The  three  men  on  horseback  were  some  distance 
ahead,  but  the  bawl  of  that  ox  caused  them  all  to 
look  back  in  time  to  see  me  fall  heels  over  head  in  front  of  the 
offended  beast.  They  all  yelled  in  laughter,  and  kept  at  it  so 
long  that  it  gave  me  a good  opportunity  to  scrape  the  mud  off 
of  my  clothes,  face,  and  hands.  Getting  off  that  animal  was  one 
of  the  quickest  and  most  remarkable  feats  of  my  life.  The 
old  fisherman’s  remark,  “Everything  has  to  be  learned,  young 
man,”  was  verified  in  that  experience,  and  in  many  other 
things  in  my  life. 


30 


CHAPTER  IV. 


1853-54 — Junior  Preacher — Revivals — Holiness  People. 

Having  been  a member  of  conference  three  years,  and  hav- 
ing passed  my  course  of  reading,  I was  ordained.  The 
ordination  services  were  unusually  impressive,  and  I 
sought  anew  to  consecrate  my  life  and  powers  to 
God.  I realized  that  I must  be  the  Lord’s  fully 

to  be  a successful  minister,  and  I felt  that  not  to 
be  successful  in  such  a sacred  work  was  itself  a reproach  and 
sin.  I felt  that  a call  from  God  to  preach  the  gospel  was  a 
call  to  study  hard,  pray  much,  and  labor  earnestly  to  promote 
the  salvation  of  the  wicked,  and  the  edification  of  Christians. 
St.  Paul’s  language  deeply  impressed  me : “But  in  all  things 
approving  ourselves  as  the  ministers  of  God,  in  such  patience, 
in  afflictions,  in  necessities,  in  distresses,  in  stripes,  in  impris- 
onments, in  tumults,  in  labors,  and  watchings,  in  fastings ; by 
pureness,  by  knowledge,  by  longsuffering,  by  kindness,  by  the 
Holy  Ghost,  by  love  unfeigned,  by  the  word  of  truth,  by  the 
power  of  God,  by  the  armor  of  righteousness  on  the  right 
hand  and  on  the  left,  by  honor  and  dishonor,  by  evil  report 
and  good  report : as  deceivers,  and  yet  true ; as  unknown,  and 
yet  well  known;  as  dying,  and,  behold,  we  live;  as  chastened, 
and  not  killed  ; as  sorrowful,  yet  always  rejoicing;  as  poor,  yet 
making  many  rich ; as  having  nothing,  yet  possessing  all 
things.” 

The  field  of  labor  to  which  I was  sent  by  the  conference 
consisted  of  Dayton,  Miami  Chapel,  one  mile  distant,  and 
Bea  vert  own,  four  miles  from  the  city.  Rev.  William  Rhine- 
hart  was  senior  preacher  of  the  charge,  he  preaching  one 
Sunday  morning  and  night  in  the  city,  and  the  next  at  the 


31 


Fifty-five  Years  of  Active  Life 

other  appointments,  and  I in  the  same  order.  Having  to 
preach  twice  on  one  Sunday  to  the  same  congregation,  the 
people  from  the  country  appointments  often  coming  to  the 
city,  especially  during  protracted  meetings,  required  care  and 
study  for  a young  preacher. 

The  Religious  Telescope  office  was  moved  from  Circleville, 
Ohio,  to  Dayton,  during  the  autumn  of  this  year,  bringing 
with  it  Rev.  J.  Lawrence,  the  editor,  and  Solomon  Yonnieda, 
Publishing  Agent;  also  Bishop  Edwards  and  Rev.  Henry 
Staub,  editor  of  our  own  German  paper. 

Mr.  Rhinehart  having  been  in  the  ministry  for  many  years, 
and  being  an  eloquent  speaker  and  an  excellent  singer,  and  I 
being  neither,  put  me  at  a great  disadvantage,  which  I keenly 
felt,  but  nevertheless  I pegged  away,  doing  my  best  to  be  ac- 
ceptable to  the  people.  The  ministers  who  came  to  Dayton 
with  the  Telescope  office,  and  whose  presence  at  the  preach- 
ing services  embarrassed  me  at  first,  soon  became  my  best 
helpers.  They  knew  how  to  sympathize  with,  and  pray  for  a 
young,  timid  preacher. 

During  the  year  there  was  considerable  success  and  growth 
in  the  membership  of  the  Church,  both  at  the  country  ap- 
pointments and  in  the  city  of  Dayton.  In  the  city,  large  audi- 
ences attended  the  protracted  meetings,  so  much  so  that  at 
times  many  could  not  get  into  the  church,  which  was  sixty  by 
forty  feet,  with  a gallery  in  the  rear.  Our  Church  was  new 
then,  more  noisy  than  any  other  in  the  city,  and  that  brought 
crowds  of  people.  Quite  a number  Avere  saved,  some  joining 
our  Church,  and  some  other  churches.  There  were  some  who, 
instead  of  calling  us  United  Brethren  in  Christ,  called  us 
“United  States  artillerymen.” 

Among  the  members  Avas  one  Avoman  who  could  not  keep  in 
line  with  good  English  in  her  public  prayers.  She  told  the 
Lord  that  he  must  not  let  the  world,  or  the  flesh,  or  the 
devil  get  into  her  and  others,  so  as  to  force  him  out.  Once  she 
said,  “Lord,  mash  us  doAAm,  or  break  our  bones,  if  thou  canst 
not  keep  us  from  sinning  any  other  way.”  An  Irishman  who 


32 


\ 


W illi  Rev.  D.  K.  Flickinger,  the  First  United  Brethren  Missionaries  to  At'ri-  i 


In  the  Gospel  Ministry 


had  been  converted  in  the  meeting,  in  a speaking-meeting 
stepped  out  into  the  aisle  of  the  church,  and  said,  “I  am  the 
hoppiest  mon  that  ever  stood  in  shoe  leather.”  He  had  been 
an  unbeliever  and  a wicked  man,  but  was  soundly  converted, 
and  with  lips  and  life  he  magnified  the  saving  grace  of  Christ. 

Some  of  our  members  there  were  great  advocates  of  entire 
holiness,  and  greatly  deplored  the  indifference  and  worldliness 
of  others.  A few  holiness  workers  from  abroad  came  to  assist 
in  holding  a holiness  prayer-meeting  for  a week.  The  meet- 
ing was  well  attended,  especially  on  the  night  of  the  regular 
prayer-meeting,  when  they  made  an  effort  to  have  all  go  for- 
ward to  the  altar  and  seek  the  blessing  of  holiness.  Three  of 
us  ministers  did  not  go,  but  knelt  where  we  were,  and  helped 
to  sing  and  pray. 

During  that  meeting  the  word  “perfect”  was  often  used. 
“Be  ye  perfect  as  your  Father  in  heaven  is  perfect,”  was  fre- 
quently quoted.  I asked  whether  to  love  the  Lord  with  all  the 
heart,  mind,  soul,  and  strength  was  not  perfect  love,  as  nearly 
as  it  was  possible  to  possess  it,  and  whether  to  implicitly  be- 
lieve his  Word  was  not  perfect  faith,  and  whether  perfect 
obedience  to  the  requirements  of  God’s  law  was  not  as  high 
as  we  could  go  in  that  matter.  The  answer  was  that  all  the 
perfection  they  claimed  was  to  love  God  supremely,  believe  his 
Word  implicitly,  and  obey  it  to  the  best  of  one’s  ability.  I 
said  then,  and  say  yet,  that  to  love  the  Lord  with  all  the  soul, 
mind,  and  strength  is  perfect  love,  and  to  fully  believe  his 
Word  is  perfect  faith,  and  to  implicitly  obey  its  teachings  is 
perfect  obedience,  and  that  all  these  we  must  possess  to  be 
Christians  at  all.  How  much  better  to  strive  to  be  Bible 
Christians,  not  extraordinary  Christians,  just  fully  Chris- 
tians. It  is  a misfortune  for  any  professor  of  religion  to  be 
like  the  Indian’s  tree,  “so  straight  that  it  leaned  a little.”  A 
certain  minister  once  took  the  wind  out  of  the  sail  of  an  en- 
thusiastic sanetificationist  by  telling  him  that  he  had  watched 
them  for  years,  and  found  them  no  better  than  other  pro- 
fessors of  religion,  that  at  best  they  “were  sanctified  only  in 
spots.” 

8 


33 


CHAPTER  V. 


1854-55 — rastor  in  Dayton — Quarreling  Members — Answers  “Yes”  to 
the  Missionary  Call — Goes  to  Africa — Explores  the  Country. 

The  annual  conference  of  1854  made  two  fields  of  labor  of 
the  Dayton  charge,  constituting  the  city  one  and  the  two 
country  appointments  another.  Mr.  Rhinehart  was  put  in 
charge  of  the  country  appointments,  and  I was  given  Dayton. 
Two  things  made  the  end  of  the  fourth  year  and  the  begin- 
ning of  the  fifth  year  very  sad ; namely,  the  death  of  my  wife 
in  August,  and  the  disgraceful  quarrel  which  occurred  at  the 
reorganization  of  the  Dayton  class,  in  October,  between  two 
church  officials.  So  bitter  became  the  quarrel  that  one  day,  in 
a grocery  kept  by  one  of  them,  very  ugly  words  were  spoken, 
and  one  of  them  grabbed  a ham  close  to  him,  and  the  other  a 
cheese-box  with  a cheese  in  it;  they  were  about  to  throw  at 
each  other,  but  were  prevented  by  a third  party  getting  be- 
tween them.  The  church  cited  them  to  appear  before  a com- 
mittee for  trial,  and  they  were  adjudged  guilty  of  unchristian 
conduct,  and  required  to  confess  the  same  to  the  class  and 
promise  to  cease  from  such  conduct.  The  one  complied  with 
the  order  of  the  committee,  but  the  other  one  refused.  He 
was  the  richest  man  in  the  class,  and  possessed  some  very  good 
qualities.  There  were  some  good  women  belonging  to  that 
society  who  insisted  that  there  must  be  an  end  to  the  ugly 
quarrel,  but  they  urged  the  pastor  not  to  be  hasty  in  executing 
the  order  of  the  committee,  which  was  that  unless  the  confes- 
sion be  made  within  two  weeks,  the  pastor  was  to  publicly 
state  that  the  offending  person  was  no  longer  a member  of  the 
Church.  The  boy’s  composition  on  woman  had  the  following : 
“Woman  was  made  after  man  and  she  has  been  after  him  ever 


34 


In  the  Gospel  Ministry 

since.”  The  best  women  of  the  class  were  after  that  man,  earn- 
estly desiring  his  reformation,  and  I also  urged  him  to  the  last 
hour  of  the  time  given  to  make  confession.  During  my  last 
interview  with  him,  which  was  just  before  I went  into  the 
pulpit  on  Sunday  morning,  he  said,  “Put  me  out  of  the 
Church,”  perhaps  thinking  that  I dared  not  do  so.  At  the 
close  of  the  service  I made  a brief  explanation  of  the  case, 
and  said  that  I was  under  the  sad  necessity  of  saying  that 
this  brother  was  no  longer  a member  of  our  Church.  He  and 
family,  and  their  friends,  were  present,  and  there  was  intense 
feeling  in  the  congregation,  and  some  hard  things  were  said 
about  me,  but  I felt  much  relieved,  because  that  which  had 
troubled  that  church  for  nearly  a year  was  coming  to  an  end. 
As  Pat  said,  “There  is  an  end  to  all  things,  but  my  wooden 
poker,  which  was  burned  off  and  now  it  has  no  end.” 
The  congregations  were  not  diminished,  nor  any  interest  of 
the  church  injured  by  what  was  done,  and  all  went  well  for 
the  remainder  of  the  year. 

It  was  in  December  of  this  year,  1854,  that  the  unexpected 
call  came  to  me  to  go  to  Africa  as  a missionary,  to  accompany 
Rev.  . J.  Shuey  and  Dr.  D.  C.  Kumler,  who  had  been  under 
appointment  for  some  time,  and  were  only  waiting  until  a 
third  man  could  be  found  to  go  with  them.  It  was  about  ten 
o’clock  in  the  morning  when  I was  asked  to  be  that  third  man, 
and  at  two  o'clock  the  same  day  I answered,  “Yes.”  I had 
offered  my  services  a couple  of  months  before,  but  they  were 
not  accepted  on  account  of  my  health.  At  six  o’clock  that  same 
night  I took  the  train  for  New  York  to  make  arrange- 
ments for  sailing,  and  returned  to  Dayton  four  days  after- 
ward, having  been  on  the  cars  three  nights  out  of  the  four 
gone.  I resigned  my  charge  the  day  after  returning  from 
New  York,  which  was  Christmas,  and  commenced  making 
preparations  for  my  departure  to  Africa,  the  three  of  us  leav- 
ing the  following  week.  I made  a will  just  before  starting  for 
Africa,  bequeathing  five  thousand  dollars  to  Otterbein  Uni- 
versity, which  it  certainly  would  have  received  had  I died  in 


35 


Fifty-five  Years  of  Active  Life 

Africa,  as  many  supposed  would  be  the  case.  The  college  did 
not  get  that  money,  but  did  get  about  four  thousand  dollars, 
in  payments  of  from  five  hundred  dollars  to  one  thousand 
dollars  afterward,  and  it  graduated  my  four  sons,  for  whose 
education  at  Otterbein  University  I expended  over  seven 
thousan  I dollars. 

We  were  detained  in  New  York  City  about  two  weeks  longer 
than  was  expected,  as  the  vessel  delayed  sailing  until  the  23d 
of  January,  1855.  After  a rough  voyage  of  thirty-four  days 
we  reached  Freetown,  on  the  night  of  February  26.  Besides 
the  three  United  Brethren  missionaries  on  that  brig,  there 
were  six  missionaries  going  to  Mendi  mission,  sent  there  by 
the  American  Missionary  Association,  of  the  Congregational 
Church.  The  whole  company  suffered  much  from  seasick- 
ness for  nearly  two  weeks,  but  after  that  all  seemed  to  enjoy 
the  voyage.  Daily  prayers  were  held  in  the  cabin,  with 
preaching  each  Sunday  by  one  of  the  missionaries. 

Among  the  things  which  attracted  our  attention  when  we 
went  ashore  in  Freetown,  was  a row  of  barrels  lying  at  the 
wharf,  having  printed  on  their  heads  in  large  letters,  “Smith 
& Co.,  rectifiers  of  ardent  spirits,  Cincinnati,  Ohio.”  Three 
of  us  had  gone  from  near  Cincinnati,  Ohio,  as  missionaries, 
but  Smith  & Co.  were  there  .ahead  of  us  with  rum.  We  soon 
learned  that  the  black  people  loved  strong  drink  at  sight,  and 
that  when  full  of  whisky  they  had  no  more  sense  than  white 
people  under  similar  circumstances. 

We  remained  in  Freetown  only  two  or  three  days,  including 
a Sunday,  when  all  three  of  us  preached  in  Wesleyan  chapels. 
Our  company  then  went  to  Bonthe  on  the  same  vessel  which 
had  carried  us  from  New  York.  Mendi  mission  had  a mis- 
sion residence  there,  known  as  Good  Hope  Station,  at  which 
we  made  our  home  when  in  Bonthe.  It  was  there  where  one 
of  the  two  brethren  who  accompanied  me  said  one  day, 
“Africa  is  a dark  place.  God’s  time  has  not  }^et  come  to 
evangelize  this  country,,  and  it’s  no  use  for  us  all  staying 
here.”  Two  of  them  did  afterwards  come  away,  and  I felt 


36 


In  the  Gospel  Ministry 

like  doing  the  same  thing,  but  feared  that  if  we  all  left  then 
it  would  so  discourage  our  people  in  America  that  they  would 
never  attempt  foreign  missionary  work  again.  They  remained 
from  February  26  till  June  30,  one  of  them"  ascending 
the  Boom  River  nearly  one  hundred  miles,  and  two  of  us  go- 
ing up  the  J ong  and  Baily  rivers  to  Mo-kelleh,  a large  town, 
where  we  thought  of  opening  a mission  station.  After  the 
two  had  returned  to  America  I explored  the  country  more 
fully,  twice  going  up  the  Boom  River  one  hundred  miles,  and 
on  other  rivers  as  far  as  they  were  navigable.  The  rainy 
season  and  my  sickness  during  July  prevented  any  more  ex- 
ploration during  the  months  of  July,  August,  and  September. 


CHAPTER  VI. 


1855-5G — In  Africa — Given  Up  to  Die — Returns  to  America — Solicit- 
ing From  "Nigger"-Haters. 

Ax  the  beginning  of  the  sixth  year  I was  in  Africa,  as  hope- 
ful and  cheerful  as  a man  alone  and  surrounded  with  discour- 
aging circumstances  could  be.  Of  that  company  of  nine  who 
went  to  Africa  as  missionaries  with  me,  one  died  in  six  weeks, 
another  in  three  months,  a third  one  in  six  months,  and  two 
had  returned  to  the  United  States  about  three  months  after 
getting  there,  leaving  four  of  the  number  in  Africa.  These 
had  all  suffered  a good  deal  with  African  fever,  especially 
myself.  I had  explored  the  country  a good  deal,  and  con- 
cluded to  open  a mission  close  to  the  town  of  Baily,  on  the 
Baily  River,  or  at  Mo-Bovia  on  the  Big  Boom  River,  or  at 
Shenge  on  the  coast.  The  latter  was  my  preference,’  but  the 
head  man  there  would  not  give  his  consent  to  have  a mission 
at  that  place. 

The  diversity  of  opinions  expressed  by  the  brethren  of  the 
Mendi  mission,  with  whom  I made  my  home,  and  the  serious 
obstacles  in  the  way  of  commencing  anywhere  alone,  in  view 
of  my  poor  health,  were  perplexing. 

On  the  30th  of  October  I was  married  to  Miss  Susan  Wool- 
sey,  one  of  the  missionaries  of  the  Mendi  mission,  a member  of 
the  party  with  whom  I had  gone  to  Africa.  Just  before  that  I 
had  visited  Shenge,  and  had  gone  on  to  Freetown  to  engage 
mechanics  to  build  a.  house  at  some  point  at  which  I would 
decide  to  commence  the  United  Brethren  mission.  On  the 
21st  of  November  I made  a second  trip  of  one  hundred  miles 
up  the  Big  Boom  River,  where  I arranged  to  open  a station  at 
Mo-Bovia  on  that  stream.  The  chiefs  failing  to  meet  me  as  they 


33 


In  the  Gospel  Ministry 

had  promised,  I left  after  waiting  on  them  for  several  days, 
and  redoubled  my  efforts  to  get  Chief  Caulker  to  agree  to  give 
a tract  of  land  at  Shenge  for  a mission  site.  In  this  I had  the 
help  of  D.  W.  Burton,  who  convinced  the  chief  that  a mission 
station  at  Shenge  would  make  it  safe  for  him  to  return  to 
that  place,  he  being  then  in  exile,  his  enemies  seeking  his 
life. 

During  this  second  trip  up  the  Boom  Biver  I came  near 
drowning  once,  and  I was  so  bitten  by  mosquitoes  as  to  suffer 
great  agony.  Drinking  about  a quart  of  strong  coffee 
brought  me  relief,  but  evidently  those  bites  had  much  to  do 
with  causing  me  to  have  the  most  severe  attack  of  African  fever 
I ever  experienced.  I reached  Mo-Tappan,  a mission  station 
of  the  Mendi  mission,  on  Saturday,  and  found  no  one  there 
at  the  time  but  a native  and  his  wife.  On  Sunday  I preached 
to  the  people,  when  quite  a crowd  remained  to  see  me  eat. 
Among  the  number  was  the  head  man  of  the  town,  who  told 
the  others,  “White  man  can  eat  but  little,  little,  little,  can 
have  only  one  wife,  and  die  soon;  but  black  man  can  eat 
plenty,  till  himself  good,  and  can  have  plenty  wife,  and  live 
long  time.” 

Thus  the  months  of  November  and  December  were  spent 
trying  hard  to  obtain  a mission  site,  and  to  commence  build- 
ing a mission  house,  but  the  last  days  of  December  found  me  a 
very  sick  man  in  Bonthe.  On  New  Year’s  eve  I was  given  up 
to  die,  and  I thought  myself  that  I would  die.  During  that 
night  a French  schooner  came  to  Bonthe,  upon  which  I was 
carried,  and  it  left  the  next  morning.  When  I came  to  realize 
my  whereabouts  I was  on  my  way  to  Freetown.  But  for  my 
having  been  put  on  the  schooner  and  taken  out  upon  the  salt 
water,  it  is  quite  certain  that  I would  have  died.  The 
schooner,  in  charge  of  colored  men,  was  four  days  in  getting 
to  Freetown,  a distance  of  one  hundred  and  twenty  miles. 
Beating  against  head  winds,  and  rolling  and  pitching  as  it 
did,  caused  my  wife  and  me,  who  were  the  only  passengers, 
to  be  very  glad  when  the  anchor  was  dropped  in  Freetown  har- 


39 


Fifty-five  Years  of  Active  Life 

bor.  Both  of  us  were  sick,  tired,  and  hungry.  We  remained  in 
Freetown  a couple  of  months,  trying  to  recuperate  our  health. 
In  the  month  of  March,  my  physician  told  me  he  could  not 
do  anything  more  for  me,  and  my  only  hope  of  recovery  was 
in  getting  out  of  that  country  soon,  which  I and  my  wife  did 
by  taking  passage  on  a sail  vessel  for  New  York  the  last  day 
of  March,  1856.  While  in  Freetown  I received  from  Rev.  J. 
C.  Bright,  secretary  of  the  Board  of  Missions,  a letter  author- 
izing me  to  purchase  a house  and  lot  for  a home  and  recruit- 
ing place  for  our  missionaries.  This  I did  for  the  sum  of 
$2,400.  That  was  a good  investment,  but  the  property  had  to 
be  sold  some  years  afterward  to  get  money  to  keep  the  mission 
going. 

We  reached  New  York  May  11,  and  proceeded  to  Wil- 
loughby, Ohio,  the  home  of  my  wife’s  parents,  where  I was  sick 
several  days.  I then  went  to  Dayton,  Ohio,  and  after  a few 
weeks’  rest  I attended  the 'meeting  of  the  Board  of  Missions, 
held  in  Mt.  Pleasant,  Pennsylvania,  early  in  the  month  of 
June.  By  this  time  my  health  was  much  improved.  Getting 
away  from  the  deadly  malaria  which  had  so  prostrated  me, 
and  having  a long  voyage  on  a sail  vessel,  breathing  the  sea 
air,  had  done  much  to  bring  me  back  to  health  again.  At  the 
meeting  in  Mt.  Pleasant  I did  a good  deal  of  talking,  ex- 
planatory of  the  condition  and  needs  of  the  heathen,  during 
the  business  sessions,  and  then  one  night  was  given  me  to 
lecture  on  Africa,  and  to  show  the  idols  and  various  curios 
which  I had  brought  from  that  country.  In  explaining  these 
things,  I became  so  exhausted  that  I had  to  be  helped  to  my 
boarding-place.  By  the  first  of  July  I was  able  to  lecture  on 
Africa  every  Sunday,  and  solicit  money  for  missions  during 
the  week,  which  I did  until  conference  met  in  September. 

Some  of  my  experiences  while  thus  employed,  especially 
talking  in  behalf  of  African  missions,  were  interesting.  Going 
to  lecture  on  Africa  to  a church  which  had  about  half  a dozen 
men  in  it  who  were  able  to  give  one  hundred  dollars  each,  I 
felt  that  large  sums  must  be  secured.  The  plan  of  operating 


40 


In  the  Gospel  Ministry 


was  to  get  as  many  life  members  and  life  directors  of  the 
Missionary  Society  as  possible,  the  former  to  pay  ten  dollars, 
and  the  latter  fifty  dollars  each,  the  one  to  be  paid  in  two 
yearly,  and  the  other  in  five  yearly  installments,  notes  to  be 
given  for  the  total  sums.  One  man  who  came  to  hear  me  lec- 
ture on  Sunday  morning,  and  from  whom  I expected  fifty 
dollars,  did  not  listen  to  me  over  fifteen  minutes  until  he  left 
the  church,  angry,  saying  as  he  passed  out  that  he  had  not 
come  there  to  hear  a man  talk  about  “niggers”  in  Africa,  but 
to  hear  the  gospel  preached.  Others  there  who  were  expected 
to  give  liberally  were  little  more  friendly  to  “niggers,”  but  re- 
mained till  the  meeting  closed. 

On  Monday  the  man  who  was  the  most  likely  to  make  him- 
self and  wife  life  directors  was  visited  by  me  early  in  the 
morning,  and  all  forenoon  was  spent  trying  to  get  his  note  for 
one  hundred  dollars.  At  noon  he  agreed  to  make  it  fifty 
dollars,  and  it  was  night  before  the  note  was  secured  for  one 
hundred.  The  next  forenoon  I got  another  one  hun- 
dred-dollar  note  and  one  for  fifty  dollars  before  reaching 
the  residence  of  the  man  who  left  the  church  on  Sunday  in 
anger  because  I was  talking  about  “niggers.”  I arrived  there 
just  at  noon,  and  met  with  a cool  reception,  they  being  at  the 
dinner-table  when  I entered  the  house,  but  I was  finally  asked 
to  stay  for  dinner  and  have  my  horse  fed,  which  invitation  I 
accepted.  After  dinner  I went  with  the  father  and  boys  to 
the  corn-field,  and  helped  them  hoe  corn  while  talking  African 
missions.  All  the  afternoon  was  put  in,  and  after  supper, 
at  family  worship,  I held  a little  class-meeting  with  the  whole 
family,  and  at  eleven  o’clock  that  night  wrote  that  man’s 
note  for  twenty-five  dollars,  which  he  paid  in  a year.  He  con- 
tinued to  pay  to  the  mission  as  long  as  he  lived.  I stayed  in 
that  neighborhood  until  five  hundred  dollars  wore  secured, 
which  sum  was  reached  on  Thursday.  I continued  in  this 
work  until  the  end  of  my  sixth  year,  when  I attended  the 
Miami  Annual  Conference  with  a view  of  being  appointed  to 
a field  of  labor.  This  was  refused  me  on  the  ground  that  my 


41 


Fifty- five  Years  of  Active  Life 


services  were  needed  by  the  Board  of  Missions  for  the  African 
mission.  Piqua  mission  church  was  left  to  be  supplied,  and  to 
it  the  presiding  elder  appointed  me  just  after  the  conference 
adjourned,  and  I moved  my  family  there  soon  after. 


42 


CHAPTER  VII. 


1856-57 — Pastor  of  a Mission  Church — -Sent  to  Africa — Seasickness — 
“The  Go  in  It’’ — Secures  Mission  Site — Elected  Missionary  Secre- 
tary. 

This  was  an  eventful  year.  Having  been  appointed  to  a 
poor  mission,  to  which  I resolved  to  give  my  best  energies,  I 
felt  highly  gratified  at  my  prospects  of  being  able  to  read 
good  books,  and  to  give  myself  fully  to  the  work  of  the  min- 
istry. At  the  end  of  six  weeks  I was  summoned  to  Dayton, 
thirty  miles  from  my  charge,  to  meet  the  Executive  Com- 
mittee of  the  Board  of  Missions.  They  informed  me  that  they 
had  started  Rev.  J.  K.  Billheimer  and  W.  B.  Witt,  M.D.,  to 
Africa,  that  they  were  then  in  New  York,  expecting  to  sail 
in  a few  days,  but  they  would  recall  them  at  once  and  give  up 
the  African  mission,  unless  I would  agree  to  accompany  them 
to  get  a title  to  the  site  which  had  been  selected  for 
our  mission  headquarters,  and  initiate  them  into  the  work. 
This  was  Friday  afternoon,  and  I could  not  reach  home  until 
that  night  at  nine  o’clock.  Next  day  my  trunk  was  packed, 
on  Sunday  I preached  twice,  taught  a class  in  the  Sunday 
school,  received  four  members  into  Church,  and  on  Monday 
morning  at  four  o’clock  took  the  train  for  Xew  York  City. 
During  the  six  weeks  spent  on  that  city  mission  the  congre- 
gations had  doubled,  and  the  people  were  much  encouraged 
because  they  had  a minister  to  live  on  the  charge  and  be  pres- 
ent at  week-night  prayer-meetings,  and  help  them  in  the  Sun- 
day school. 

Upon  reaching  New  York,  I found  that  the  vessel  upon 
which  we  were  to  sail  had  left,  which  permitted  me  to  come 
back  to  Ohio  and  spend  several  weeks  with  my  family.  We 


43 


Fifty-five  Years  of  Active  Life 

sailed  December  3,  and  reached  Freetown,  Sierra  Leone, 
about  the  middle  of  January,  1857. 

The  first  week  at  sea  was  rough,  and  as  I was  the  superin- 
tendent of  the  African  mission,  and  had  crossed  the  ocean 
before,  I was  elected  to  superintend  the  two  brethren  who  were 
going  to  Africa  as  missionaries.  There  having  been  quite  a 
strong  wind  the  day  before  sailing,  I got  on  my  sea  clothes 
as  soon  as  aboard  the  vessel,  and  I advised  the  brethren  to  do 
the  same  before  passing  Sandy  Hook,  telling  them  that  I 
would  be  seasick,  and  it  was  likely  they  would  be  as  soon  as  we 
should  be  fully  out  to  sea.  One  of  them  was  so  interested  in 
looking  at  the  forts  and  other  objects  of  interest  that  he 
failed  to  get  off  his  good  clothes  until  he  became  very  seasick. 

After  I had  heaved  overboard  most  of  the  movable  contents 
of  my  stomach,  I ventured  to  go  to  see  my  comrades,  and 
found  the  one  all  right,  though  suffering  some  with  seasick- 
ness, but  the  other  was  in  his  berth  with  his  good  vest  and 
trousers  and  boots  on,  having  hung  his  beaver  hat  and  best 
coat  on  pegs  in  his  room.  These  had  fallen  onto  the  floor, 
owing  to  the  rolling  of  the  ship,  and  over  them  he  had  turned 
the  contents  of  his  stomach.  The  sight  greatly  increased  my 
squeamishness,  and  I barely  took  time  to  say  to  him  that  his 
coat  and  hat  were  badly  soiled,  and  his  vest  and  pants  would 
be  if  he  did  not  get  them  off,  and  that  I was  too  sick  to  help 
him,  but  would  send  the  steward  to  do  so.  He  replied  that 
I did  not  need  to  trouble  myself  or  any  one  else  about  his 
clothes,  for  he  expected  to  die  and  would  not  need  clothes 
any  more.  He  did  not  die,  but  had  a big  job  to  make  that 
good  suit  of  his  look  fit  to  wear  after  he  got  over  his  seasick- 
ness. 

Some  years  later  I went  from  Liverpool  to  Freetown  on  a 
steamer,  having  a young  Scotchman  for  a roommate.  We 
were  both  very  seasick,  and  had  not  been  out  of  our  berths 
for  a couple  of  days.  The  Scotchman  talking  to  himself  one 
day  said,  “Dang  the  nasty  thing ; if  that  port  hole  was  large 
enough  I would  get  into  the  salt  water  and  drown  the  dang 


44 


In  the  Gospel  Ministry 


thing.”  Soon  after  our  steward  came  into  the  room  with 
some  chicken  broth,  telling  us  that  we  had  been  there  long 
enough,  and  must  drink  some  of  the  broth  and  get  up  and 
go  on  deck.  I said  to  him  I could  not  swallow  any  broth, 
but  the  steward  pushed  the  bowl  toward  me  and  I took  a 
mouthful,  but  instead  of  it  going  down  my  throat,  it  flew 
out  of  my  mouth  as  if  shot  out  by  a force  pump.  The  steward 
escaped  getting  the  broth  in  his  face  by  a quick  jump  to  one 
side,  and  it  went  clear  across  the  stateroom,  which  satisfied 
him  that  there  was  one  stomach  aboard  that  would  not  allow 
food  to  enter  it.  Over  twenty-five  years  ago  an  old  lady  took 
her  first  railroad  ride,  coming  into  Madison,  Wisconsin,  on 
the  same  car  which  carried  me  and  others.  We  had  to  wait 
there  for  a train  about  four  hours.  A frisky  switch  engine 
kept  passing  back  and  forth,  which  the  woman  watched 
closely.  About  midday  it  came  to  a standstill  close  to  .the 
depot,  which  was  the  old  lady’s  opportunity.  Adjusting  her 
spectacles  to  see  well,  she  went  closefio  the  engine  and  walked 
around  it,  scrutinizing  it  carefully.  Unperceived  by  her,  the 
engineer  got  on  it  from  the  opposite  side  from  where  she  was, 
and  suddenly  pulled  the  lever,  which  started  it  off  at  a lively 
rate.  In  her  surprise  and  with  uplifted  hands,  she  exclaimed, 
“Oh,  I see  now  how  it  is ; that  engine  has  the  go  in  it !”  Our 
steward  on  that  steamer,  and  many  others,  and  some  by  a 
sad  experience,  have  learned  that  when  persons  are  really 
seasick,  their  stomachs  have  the  “go”  in  them.  If  everybody 
could  manage  that  matter  as  well  as  a Frenchman  did,  who 
was  a passenger  with  me  on  a sail  vessel  once,  it  would  not 
be  so  terrible  to  be  seasick.  That  man  ate  his  meals  regularly. 
At  dinner  the  first  course  was  soup,  which  he  would  eat,  and 
then  go  on  deck  and  heave  it  overboard,  and  then  he  would 
eat  the  second  course  and  do  likewise,  and  return  for  the 
dessert.  He  said  he  paid  for  three  meals  a day,  and  it  was 
his  duty  to  eat  them  and  nobody’s  business  what  he  did  with 
them  afterward. 

The  same  vessel  which  carried  me  and  my  comrades  to 


45 


Fifty-five  Years  of  Active  Life 

Freetown,  went  on  to  Monrovia,  Liberia.  The  captain  offered 
me  free  passage  to  Monrovia,  which  1 accepted.  I spent 
three  weeks  there  visiting  the  schools,  witnessing  the  proceed- 
ings of  the  Liberian  Congress,  and  mingling  with  the  people 
generally.  I went  with  the  presiding  elder  of  the  Methodist 
Church  to  a mission  station  about  thirty  miles  up  the  St. 
Paul  River.  I also  saw  the  Mulenburg  mission  farm  on  the 
same  river,  where  the  Lutherans  were  carrying  on  a manual 
labor  enterprise  in  connection  with  schools  and  religious 
services. 

I obtained  valuable  information  respecting  the  condition 
of  the  people,  and  especially  the  kinds  of  work  to  be  done  to 
enlighten  and  save  them  from  the  degraded  state  in  which 
they  were.  I felt  more  than  ever  that  the  place  for  the  United 
Brethren  Church  to  work  was  in  Sierra  Leone,  and  returned 
there  to  renew  my  efforts  to  secure  a deed  for  land  at  Shenge 
to  establish  a mission  station.  By  the  help  of  Mr.  D.  W. 
Burton  1 got  a bond  from  Mr.  Caulker  for  fully  one  hundred 
acres  of  land,  which  proved  to  be  a very  desirable  site  for 
mission  stations  and  headquarters  for  our  mission  in  Africa. 

During  my  stay  in  Africa,  J.  K.  Billheimer  had  a severe 
attack  of  fever.  I being  both  his  doctor  and  nurse,  got  him 
through  safely,  but  oh,  what  faces  he  did  make ! especially 
the  second  and  fourth  days,  when  I gave  him  five-grain  doses 
of  quinine  every  three  hours. 

Having  accomplished  the  work  I went  to  do,  I returned 
to  the  United  States  just  in  time  to  meet  the  Board  of  Mis- 
sions, and  to  attend  the  General  Conference  which  met  early 
in  the  month  of  May,  1857.  At  that  Conference  I was 
elected  corresponding  secretary  of  the  Board  of  Mis- 
sions, in  the  place  of  Rev.  J.  C.  Bright,  who  had  served  in 
that  capacity  the  previous  four  years.  I felt  that  it  was  wrong 
for  the  General  Conference  not  to  reelect  Mr.  Bright,  and 
tendered  my  resignation,  which  the  board  refused  to  accept. 
I therefore  entered  upon  the  work,  and  did  more  lecturing 
and  soliciting  of  money  than  I was  able  to  endure,  resulting 


46 


In  the  Gospel  Ministry 

in  sickness’  which  kept  me  from  doing  anything  for  four 
months,  nearly  ending  my  life. 

St.  Paul  once  said,  “For  what  I would,  that  I do  not : but 
what  I hate,  that  I do.”  Such  was  my  experience  during  this 
year.  I commenced  it  as  a home  missionary,  then  became  a 
missionary  in  Africa,  then  was  secretary  of  the  board,  and 
finally  was  pronounced  so  near  to  death  that  I would  not 
live  three  months,  which  prediction  was  not  fulfilled. 

It  is  said  that  a farmer  once  went  to  market  with  two 
crocks,  one  filled  with  apple  butter,  and  the  other  with  cottage 
cheese.  He  soon  had  customers  for  both,  but  had  but  one 
ladle  to  dip  with.  The  one  article  was  white,  the  other  black ; 
and  the  use  of  the  same  ladle  soon  left  traces  of  each  upon 
the  other,  and  finally  they  looked  so  much  alike  that  he  could 
not  tell  which  jar  had  the  smear-case  and  which  the  apple 
butter.  My  work  for  the  year  had  been  almost  as  badly 
mixed. 


47 


CHAPTER  VIII. 


1857-58— Disappointing  the  Doctors — Lecturing  in  German  at  a Penn 
sylvania  Camp-meeting — An  Experience— Saving  the  Credit  of  the 
Missionary  Society. 

At  the  beginning  of  the  eighth  year  of  my  ministry  I was 
a very  sick  man.  I had  spent  all  of  the  month  of  August 
in  Pennsylvania,  where  I attended  four  camp-meetings  in 
two  weeks,  and  held  a number  of  special  missionary  meetings 
during  the  other  two.  I preached  and  lectured  on  Africa  and 
solicited  money  for  missions  privately,  securing  about  $3,000 
in  cash  and  notes ; but  overwork  brought  on  a severe  attack  of 
sickness.  After  a month’s  illness  I was  able  to  reach  my  home 
in  Ohio,  where  two  doctors  told  me  that  I could  not  live  over 
three  months.  They  gave  me  no  medicine,  but  told  me  to 
eat  rye  mush  and  milk,  and  drink  water  in  which  slippery  elm 
bark  had  been  soaked.  Upon  these  I lived  exclusively  for  a 
couple  of  months.  Having  been  told  in  Africa  once  by  a 
doctor  that  I could  not  live  over  night,  and  having  made 
several  narrow  escapes  from  death  on  sea  and  land,  I deter- 
mined to  do  my  best  to  make  those  doctors  false  prophets.  I 
soon  began  to  gain  in  health,  and  at  the  end  of  three  months 
I preached  again,  and  have  been  doing  that,  and  much  other 
work,  ever  since.  Since  then  I have  been  ten  times  to  Africa, 
eight  times  to  Germany,  to  California,  Oregon,  and  Washing- 
ton twice,  and  to  many  other  places  in  the  United  States 
a number  of  times.  Going  from  the  intense  hot  weather  of 
Africa  to  the  severe  cold  of  Germany  was  an  ordeal  through 
which  I passed  several  times,  and  which  robust  constitutions 
often  do  not  endure  without  permanent  injury. 

Foreign  mission  work  was  such  a new  thing  among  our 
people  then  and  the  habits  of  the  people  in  Africa  were  so 


48 


Early  Missionaries  to  Africn 


In  the  Gospel  Ministry 


strange,  that  a description  of  these  greatly  interested  the 
Pennsylvanians.  Great  crowds  attended  my  public  addresses, 
and  listened  with  ears  and  eyes  to  the  descriptions  and  exhi- 
bitions 1 gave  of  their  idols,  articles  of  clothing,  and  other 
curios  which  I brought  from  Africa. 

Among  the  experiences  I had  to  relate  was  that  of  my  first 
Sunday  spent  in  Africa,  when  I preached  in  a Wesleyan 
chapel.  In  the  gallery  were  seated  a number  of  raw  heathen. 
Soon  after  I commenced  preaching  I saw  a man  with  a long 
switch,  or  rod,  passing  around  the  gallery,  and  every  now  and 
then  he  struck  some  one.  At  least  half  a dozen  were  thus 
treated  during  the  thirty  minutes  I preached  that  day.  As 
soon  as  the  services  closed  I asked  why  that  was  done,  and 
was  told  that  the  natives  were  apt  to  go  to  sleep  or  talk  aloud, 
and  the  man  was  there  with  the  rod  to  wake  them  up  and  to 
make  them  be  still.  That  man  made  more  impressions  on 
about  a half  a dozen  people  that  day  with  his  rod  than  my 
sermon.  One  young  man  jumped  up  and  screamed  quite  loud 
when  the  rod  was  laid  across  his  shoulders. 

There  was  another  kind  of  flogging  the  Africans  spoke  of 
which  they  called  “God  flog.”  If  any  great  evil  befell  an 
individual,  or  a community,  they  would  say  that  such  had 
caught  “God  flog,”  or  “big  God  flog,”  meaning  that  a judg- 
ment had  come  upon  them  from  God.  Going  up  the  Boom 
Biver,  the  captain  of  my  boat  pointed  to  a place  that  was 
once  a large  town,  but  nearly  deserted  then,  having  been  torn 
all  to  pieces  by  a tornado.  He  said,  “Massa,  that  large,  good 
town  once,  but  it  catch  one  big,  big  God  flog,  which  nearly 
destroyed  it,  and  killed  plenty  people.” 

While  laboring  in  the  East,  I attended  a camp-meeting  two 
miles  north  of  Lebanon,  Pennsylvania.  The  people  there  were 
slow  to  respond  to  my  solicitation  for  missionary  money,  but 
promised  me  a good  collection  if  I would  lecture  to  them  in 
German.  I could  speak  a little  German,  and  as  they  could 
not  understand  English  well,  being  anxious  to  make  five  hun- 
dred dollars  that  Sabbath  afternoon,  I told  them  I would 


4 


49 


Fifty-five  Years  of  Active  Life 

speak  some  German.  When  German  words  failed  me  I would 
use  English.  There  was  a large  audience  present,  including 
lawyers,  doctors,  and  ministers  from  Lebanon.  Of  course 
many  things  I told  were  amusing,  and  would  have  been  so 
told  in  plain  English,  but  as  told  in  my  broken  German,  sand- 
wiched with  English,  they  were  very  funny.  I sweat  and 
did  my  best  to  make  that  congregation  understand  me.  They 
laughed  boisterously,  and  even  Bishop  Glossbrenner  laughed 
until  tears  stood  in  his  eyes.  The  five  hundred  dollars  were 
all  made  up,  but  I vowed  then  and  there  never  to  deliver 
another  English-German  lecture  on  Africa. 

A well-dressed  woman  came  to  me  at  the  close  of  the  meet- 
ing, and  asked  me  to  deliver  the  lecture  in  the  court-house 
in  Lebanon,  saying  she  would  pay  me  fifty  dollars  cash  if  I 
would.  She  said  it  would  be  a big  treat  to  the  people  there, 
especially  if  I would  repeat  what  I said  about  being  made  a 
prisoner  in  Africa.  Once  afterward,  in  Westfield,  Illinois, 
after  I had  delivered  a lecture  on  Africa,  under  the  auspices 
of  the  college  authorities,  I was  offered  fifty  dollars  by  a man 
who  had  come  ten  miles  to  hear  me,  if  I would  go  to  his  town 
and  deliver  the  lecture.  Had  I not  nearly  frozen  to  death 
getting  to  Westfield,  and  should  have  had  another  similar 
cold  ride  to  reach  his  town,  I should  have  accepted  his  propo- 
sition. 

But  how  and  why  I was  made  a prisoner  in  Africa  ought 
to  be  told  here.  It  occurred  about  six  weeks  after  I reached 
the  Dark  Continent  the  first  time.  I had  followed  a path 
leading  to  a devil-house  in  the  woods,  at  which  I stopped  and 
took  into  my  hand  a beautiful,  round  stone,  which  was  in  the 
house.  A naked  boy  close  by,  but  unperceived  by  me,  gave 
a hideous  scream,  and  gesticulated  vigorously.  I put  down 
the  stone  where  I got  it,  and  went  to  the  town  of  Wela  close 
by,  where  the  mission  boat  and  several  other  missionaries 
were.  The  head  man  there  told  the  company  that  I had  done 
a had  thing;  that  if  one  of  their  men  had  done  what  I did 
he  would  have  been  sold  as  a slave,  and  if  one  of  their  women 


50 


In  the  Gospel  Ministry 


had  done  it,  she  would  have  been  killed.  He  said  I must  pay 
plenty  of  money,  but  as  I had  not  been  in  the  country  long, 
and  did  not  have  good  African  sense  yet,  the  sum  would  be  less 
than  if  I had  been  there  longer.  Finally,  the  price  of  my  re- 
lease was  agreed  upon,  to  be  paid  in  goods  we  had  with  us  to 
buy  provisions  with,  except  a piece  of  silver  the  headman  said 
he  must  have  to  appease  the  anger  of  the  devil,  who,  he  said, 
was  very  angry  because  I had  interfered  with  the  contents  of 
the  devil-house.  Another  missionary,  who  had  been  in  the 
country  longer  than  I,  became  my  advocate,  and  he  told  me 
not  to  give  any  silver,  for  if  I did  it  would  have  to  be  repeated 
every  time  I went  to  that  town.  My  attorney  in  the  case 
offered  to  give  a bar  of  lead  which  we  had  with  us,  and  after 
a long  time  the  headman  agreed  to  take  it,  and  proceeded  to 
show  the  crowd  how  he  would  fool  the  devil.  Having  a knife 
in  his  right  hand,  he  took  the  bar  of  lead  in  the  other,  and 
then  showed  how  he  would  cut  the  surface  off,  and  make  the 
lead  shine  “all  the  same  like  silver,”  and  the  devil  would  not 
know  the  difference.  They  all  laughed  heartily  when  shown 
how  Satan  was  to  he  made  to  believe  that  lead  was  silver. 

My  severe  sickness,  from  which  the  doctors  said  I could  not 
recover,  so  prostrated  me  that  I resigned  my  office,  and  Mr. 
Bright,  my  predecessor,  became  my  successor.  By  request  of 
the  executive  committee,  I visited  Pennsylvania  in  the  spring 
of  1858,  and  Held  a number  of  missionary  meetings  and  at- 
tended the  annual  meeting  of  the  Board  of  Missions,  which 
met  there.  During  June,  July,  and  August,  I supplied  a cir- 
cuit near  Dayton,  there  being  a vacancy.  In  the  meantime,  Mr. 
Bright’s  health  became  poor,  and  he  refused  the  secretaryship. 
I was  urged  to  take  it,  which  finally  I did,  and  continued  in 
the  office  for  twenty-eight  consecutive  years,  except  the  few 
months  during  which  I was  sick,  as  lias  already  been  stated. 

In  the  autumn  of  1857,  in  Yew  York,  I contracted  for  a 
house  to  be  made  ready  there  to  set  up  when  it  reached 
Africa.  Just  at  the  time  I was  so  very  sick  in  Pennsylvania 
the  money  became  due,  being  over  $1 ,000,  and  this  had  to  be 


51 


Fifty-five  Years  of  Active  Life 


borrowed  in  bank  in  Dayton  for  ninety  days.  Before  the  ex- 
piration of  that  time  there  was  great  stringency  in  the  money 
market,  and  none  was  to  be  had  anywhere.  A German  friend 
of  mine  agreed  that  if  I would  give  my  personal  note  and  a 
mortgage  on  my  home,  he  would  give  me  eight  hundred  dol- 
lars he  had  in  bank.  This  was  done  and  the  Missionary  So- 
ciety’s paper  was  kept  from  going  to  protest.  There  was  a 
debt  of  about  seven  thousand  dollars  against  the  Missionary 
Society  when  I was  first  elected  secretary,  which,  with  the 
great  stringency  of  the  money  market  for  the  next  few  years, 
made  it  hard  to  keep  our  missionaries  in  the  field.  The  sec- 
retary had  all  the  work  to  do,  as  the  treasurer  only  held  the 
funds  of  the  society,  receiving  no  salary  therefor.  Sometimes 
it  was  very  hard  work  to  keep  the  ship  afloat,  and  the  officers 
of  the  Board  felt  exceedingly  sorry  when  missionaries  could 
not  be  paid  promptly. 


fi2 


CHAPTER  IX. 


1858-59 — Dealing  with  the  Annual  Conferences — Hardest  Work — 
Spirit  of  the  South — Some  Incidents. 

I commenced  the  ninth  year  of  my  ministerial  life  feeling 
that  I was  to  be  Corresponding  Secretary  of  the  Board  of  Mis- 
sions. The  General  Conference  having  refused  to  accept  my 
resignation  and  the  Executive  Committee  having  relieved  me 
only  because  of  ill  health,  it  looked  as  though  it  were  my  duty 
to  accept  the  responsibility,  though  I felt  my  inability  to  do 
the  work  successfully. 

One  thing  that  made  the  secretaryship  a very  responsible, 
delicate,  and  difficult  work  at  that  time  was  the  fact  that  the 
self-supporting  conferences  were  doing  considerable  home 
missionary  work,  and  they  had  the  right  to  determine  by  vote, 
annually,  what  proportion  of  the  missionary  money  the  pas- 
tors collected  should  go  to  the  Board  of  Missions,  and  what 
they  would  retain  for  home  missions.  I will  never  forget 
some  of  the  hard  contests  I passed  through  to  get  a reasonable 
share  of  the  money  for  the  frontier  and  the  foreign  missions 
of  the  Church,  which  the  Board  were  responsible  for.  At  one 
of  the  eastern  conferences  I was  appointed  as  fifth  man  on 
the  committee  on  missions  by  the  presiding  officer.  The  com- 
mittee met  at  night  without  giving  me  notice  of  the  meeting, 
and  told  me  next  morning  that  I must  submit  to  their  report, 
for  they  had  nearly  all  the  conference  on  their  side.  The  re- 
port was  read  soon  after  the  session  opened.  It  proposed  to 
give  to  the  Board  only  the  amount  which  might  be  left  after 
paying  their  home  misssionaries,  which  would  be  about  one- 
eighth  of  their  collections  for  missions.  I remarked  to  the 
conference  that  I had  not  been  notified  of  the  meeting  of  the 
committee.  I went  on  to  show  what  a large  and  important 


53 


Fifty-five  Years  of  Active  Life 

work  the  Board  had  on  the  frontiers  of  our  country,  and  what 
a great  mission  field  it  had  entered  in  Africa,  and  that  they 
ought  not  retain  more  than  two-thirds  of  the  money,  and  that 
the  other  third  should  go  to  the  destitute  people  of  the  great 
West  and  of  Africa,  especially  as  the  Board  had  to  pay  a sec- 
retary and  to  meet  all  contingent  expenses  of  the  Missionary 
Society.  I plead  so  earnestly  that  finally  four  of  the  younger 
members  of  that  conference  came  round  to  my  view,  one  of 
whom  moved  and  another  seconded  the  motion  to  amend  the 
report  so  as  to  give  the  Board  one-third.  The  whole  forenoon 
was  consumed  in  discussing  that  question,  and  just  before  ad- 
journing for  dinner  the  vote  was  taken,  which  gave  the  Board 
one-third,  making  a difference  of  several  hundred  dollars  in 
its  favor.  Much  religious  fighting  had  to  be  done  to  over- 
come the  selfishness  and  covetousness  of  some  people,  and  to 
teach  them  that  Christians  on  earth  had  more  to  do  than  to 
sing  and  pray  and  get  happy,  and  that  a solemn  obligation 
rested  on  them  to  send  the  gospel  to  the  destitute  and  heathen, 
by  giving  money  to  build  up  the  kingdom  of  God  in  all  the 
earth. 

My  hardest  work  in  behalf  of  missions  was  not  done  in  Af- 
rica. I suffered  most  there  with  sickness,  but  did  my  hardest 
work  in  America  to  convert  Christians  from  the  error  of  their 
way,  and  to  show  them  their  duty  to  the  heathen.  For  years,  as 
secretary,  I preached  and  lectured  on  Africa  from  sixty  to 
eighty  times  annually,  attended  from  eight  to  ten  annual  con- 
ferences, wrote  several  hundred  letters,  and  edited  the  Mis- 
sionary Visitor,  which  was  issued  semi-monthly. 

During  my  previous  experiences  as  an  itinerant,  I was  pre- 
paring for  the  ministry  while  in  the  ministry.  Now  I was 
learning  how  to  be  a secretary  while  doing  the  work  of  the 
secretaryship.  Mingling  with  so  many  ministers  at  the  an- 
nual conferences,  and  with  all  the  bishops,  and  having  my 
office  in  the  printing  establishment  of  the  Church  in  Dayton, 
Ohio,  coming  in  contact  with  the  editors  of  the  Church  papers, 
and  the  Publishing  Agent,  as  well  as  the  members  of  the 


54 


In  the  Gospel  Ministry 


different  Church  boards,  gave  me  excellent  opportunities  to 
learn  and  understand  many  things  which  had  some  relation 
to  my  work,  and  which  I needed  to  know  to  make  missions 
a success  in  the  Church. 

The  peculiarities  of  some  prominent  men  and  their  methods 
were  a study  to  me.  One  who  was  appointed  one  year  pre- 
viously to  preach  the  annual  sermon  at  the  meeting  of  the 
Board,  himself  being  a member,  did  not  decide  what  his  text 
was  to  be  until  quite  late  on  Saturday  evening,  when  the  ser- 
mon was  to  be  preached  next  day  at  ten  o’clock.  He  slept 
little  and  kept  me  awake  most  of  that  night  reading  from  a 
sheet  of  foolscap  scribbled  all  over,  then  adding  other  items 
on  another  sheet  of  paper,  asking  me  whether  that  was  the 
kind  of  preaching  needed.  This  was  the  way  one  of  the  most 
eloquent  ministers  in  the  Church  prepared  an  annual  sermon, 
and  it  cost  me  some  work  to  get  scraps  of  it  together  for  the 
printer,  as  that  sermon  was  printed  in  the  proceedings  of  the 
Board,  as  all  annual  sermons  were  then. 

As  illustrative  of  the  intolerant  spirit  existing  in  the  South 
at  that  time,  I reproduce  the  following/taken  from  the  Knox- 
ville, Tenn.,  Whig,  edited  by  Rev.  Mr.  Brownlow.  It  ap- 
peared in  October,  1858,  and  was  copied  extensively  in  the 
South.  The  heading  of  the  article  was,  “Look  Out  for  an 
Abolitionist.”  “Rev.  John  Ruebush,  a missionary  of  the 
United  Brethren,  is  laboring  in  east  Tennessee,  and  is  a very 
popular  man  among. negroes.  He  is  the  agent  for  the  sale  of 
divers  books  and  publications,  hailing  from  Dayton,  Ohio, 
among  them  ‘Lawrence  on  Slavery,’  ‘Uncle  Tom’s  Cabin,’  and 
such  infamous  publications.  It  is  astonishing  that  a mission- 
ary of  this  stripe,  hailing  from  that  quarter  with  books,  should 
be  tolerated  in  east  Tennessee.  We  hope  this  man,  and  his 
associates,  may  run  off  half  of  the  negroes  in  the  counties 
where  they  labor.  This  would  bring  the  citizens  to  their 
senses.” 

The  writer  put  this  into  his  report  to  the  Board  of  Missions 
at  the  annual  meeting.  Such  a spirit  of  proscription,  from 


55 


Fifty-five  Years  of  Active  Life 

a minister  of  the  gospel,  shows  what  our  missionaries  in  the 
slave  States  had  to  contend  with.  One  really  wonders  if  such 
people  were  in  their  right  mind.  A member  of  the  General 
Conference  of  1881  arose  and  said,  “Mr.  President,  I wish  to 
inquire  whether  I am  in  my  right  mind.”  Everybody  laughed, 
and  the  presiding  officer  remarked  that  he  could  not  just  then 
answer  the  brother’s  question.  The  brother  meant  to  ask, 
whether  he  had  the  right  view  concerning  a certain  measure 
which  had  been  before  that  body.  A German  minister  in  ex- 
horting after  an  excellent  English  sermon,  said,  “The  brother 
told  the  truth,  the  whole  truth,  and  more  than  the  truth.” 
He  simply  meant  that  the  arguments  in  favor  of  Christianity 
were  stronger  than  necessary  to  convince  reasonable  people 
of  its  truthfulness;  but  being  a German,  he  used  the  wrong 
words  to  express  himself. 

A minister  was  holding  a meeting  in  a new  place  in  a 
sc-hoolhouse.  One  night  a number  went  forward  and  knelt 
at  the  anxious  seat;  among  them  was  a young  man  whose 
father  was  opposed  to  Christianity,  and  especially  to  such  ex- 
ercises. While  the  minister  was  kneeling  and  praying,  the 
father  went  to  his  son  and  took  hold  of  him  to  force  him  away. 
The  minister  suddenly  closed  his  prayer  and  expostulated 
with  the  father  to  let  his  son  alone  until  the  meeting  closed. 
The  man  became  furious  and  used  profane  language,  where- 
upon the  minister  took  him  by  the  back  of  his  neck  and  seat 
of  his  trousers,  and  carried  him  to  the  door  of  the  school- 
house  and  pitched  him  out,  saying  as  he  returned,  that  Christ 
when  upon  earth  had  cast  out  devils,  and  he  knew  of  no 
reason  why  he  should  not  do  the  same  thing.  That  minister 
had  been  a professional  boxer  and  fighter  before  his  conver- 
sion, and  was  a strong  man  physically  and  ministerially. 
That  man,  whom  the  writer  knew  quite  well,  solved  that 
rather  serious  question  quite  as  easily,  and  showed  fully  as 
much  good  sense  in  doing  so  as  did  the  Virginia  slave  in 
solving  the  following  question : 


56 


In  the  Gospel  Ministry 

One  morning,  as  Judge  C , of  "V  irginia,  was  starting 

for  town,  he  was  approached  by  one  of  his  negroes,  who,  with 
more  or  less  confusion,  asked : “Massa,  when  yo’  goes  to  the 
c-o't-house  will  yo’  git  me  a license  ? I’se  gwine  to  be  mar’ed. 
Git  my  license,  massa?”  Returning,  the  judge  said:  “Sam, 
you  old  fool,  you  didn't  tell  me  who  you  want  to  marry,  but 
I remembered  how  you’re  always  courting  Lucinda,  and  got 
the  license  in  her  name.”  “Lawd,  massa !”  exclaimed  Sam, 
“’taint  Luc-indy;  it’s  Kyarline.  What’s  I gwine  to  do?” 
“A\  ell,”  said  the  judge,  “the  only  thing  will  be  for  me  to  get 
another  license.  “Massa,"  said  Sam,  “do  yo’  pay  anyt’ing 
fur  clat  license?”  “les,  Sam,  a dollar  and  seventy-five  cents.” 
“Will  another  license  cos’  anyt’ing?”  said  Sam.  “Yes,  Sam, 
a dollar  and  seventy-five  cents  more,”  replied  the  judge. 
After  scratching  his  woolly  pate  for  a few  minutes,  Sam  re- 
plied: “Well,  massa,  I done  axed  Ivyarline  an’  she  said  ‘Yase,’ 
but  dere  ain’t  no  dollar  an’  seventy-five  cents’  diffunce  in  dem 
two  niggers,  so  I’ll  jus’  take  Lucincly.” 

It  is  said  that  a raw  foreigner  hired  himself  to  a farmer, 
who  put  him  to  plowing.  He  went  with  him  to  the  field  and 
told  him  to  draw  a furrow  to  the  other  side  to  where  a heifer 
was  standing,  supposing,  as  a matter  of  course,  that  he  would 
return  along  that  furrow,  and  then  plow  back  and  forth,  as  is 
usually  done.  After  a couple  of  hours  he  went  out  again  to 
see  how  his  man  was  getting  on,  when  to  his  surprise  he  found 
him  following  that  heifer,  which  was  walking  here  and  there 
through  the  field.  My  crossing  from  one  incident  to  another 
in  this  narrative  may  seem  a little  like  that  young  man’s 
plowing. 


57 


CHAPTER  X. 


1859-60 — Hard  Times — “A  Good  Deal  for  Twenty-five  Cents” — Mis- 
sionary Telescope — The  Bishop  Severe. 

Owing  to  the  stringency  of  money  matters  and  the  debt 
against  the  Missionary  Society,  I accepted  work  at  the  Miami 
Annual  Conference  in  September  1859,  and  was  elected  pre- 
siding elder  of  the  Dayton  District,  which  had  eleven  fields 
of  labor.  A couple  of  the  pastors  on  the  district  assisted  me 
in  doing  the  work  of  the  Secretary,  all  of  which  was  done 
gratuitously.  In  that  way  the  Missionary  Society  had  no  out- 
lay of  money  for  administration,  except  for  stationery,  post- 
age, etc.  The  times  were  really  hard  and  the  people  not  ac- 
customed to  give  largely,  and  the  only  way  to  keep  the 
missionaries  in  the  field  was  to  divide  among  them  all  the 
money  that  was  collected  for  missions,  spending  as  little  as 
possible  for  contingent  expenses. 

Few  people  will  give  as  did  the  poor  preacher,  who  on  a 
cold  Saturday  met  a girl  on  the  street,  who  stretched  out  her 
hand,  saying,  “Sir,  give  me  something  to  get  food  for  mamma; 
she  is  sick.”  Seeing  she  was  poorly  clad  and  emaciated  and 
in  real  need,  he  felt  like  giving  her  something,  but  all  he  had 
was  twenty-five  cents,  and  that  was  in  one  piece  of  money. 
He  hesitated  a moment,  but  finally  he  gave  it  to  her  and  went 
on  Ids  wav.  The  following  week,  while  at  his  desk  preparing 
a sermon  for  the  next  Sunday,  he  suddenly  and  unexpectedly 
became  very  happy.  As  he  had  not  been  praying,  or  in  any 
way  seeking  for  such  ecstasy,  he  wondered  why  he  should 
feel  so  happy,  when  he  remembered  giving  that  girl  the 
only  money  he'  had  the  Saturday  before;  then  through  his 
tears  he  raised  his  eyes  to  heaven  and  said,  “0  my  Lord, 
that’s  a good  deal  for  twenty-five  cents !”  He  realized  that 
“it  is  more  blessed  to  give  than  to  receive.”  Another  illustra- 


58 


In  the  Gospel  Ministry 


tion  of  the  good  coming  to  the  giver  is  the  case  of  a bachelor 
whose  health  was  poor,  and  who  concluded  to  commit  suicide 
and  end  his  sufferings.  He  had  started  to  go  to  the  river  to 
drown  himself,  when  he  met  a beggar  girl  who  said,  “Please 
give  me  some  money  to  buy  food  and  medicine  for  my  sick 
mother.”  As  he  was  on  his  way  to  drown  himself,  he  con- 
cluded to  give  her  all  the  money  he  h’ad  with  him.  She 
thanked  him  and  started  away  happy.  He  then  felt  like 
going  to  see  what  the  money  would  do,  and  went  with  the 
girl  to  an  alley  and  up  a rickety  stairway  in  an  old  building 
to  the  fourth  story,  and  there  in  a room  found  a woman  lying 
on  some  straw,  to  whom  the  girl  said,  “0  mamma,  see  what 
this  gentleman  gave  me !”  holding  the  money  out  so  she  could 
see  it.  That  poor  dying  woman  and  hungry  girl  were  so 
happy  that  they  thanked  him  over  and  over  for  his  gift.  Then 
as  he  was  starting  off  to  go  to  the  river,  it  came  to  him  that 
if  giving  money  made  people  as  happy  as  that,  he  had  better 
give  all  the  money  he  had  to  poor  people  before  ending  his 
life.  After  distributing  it  to  the  poor,  the  thought  came  to 
him  that  though  he  did  not  care  to  live  for  himself,  it  would 
be  a good  thing  to  live  to  help  others,  and  he  concluded  not 
to  commit  suicide. 

One  very  embarrassing  matter  in  the  management  of  the 
Missionary  Society  was  the  fact  that  the  Missionary  Telescope, 
organ  of  the  Missionary  Society,  which  was  established  by  the 
former  Secretary,  was  promised  gratis  to  all  life  members  and 
life  directors  of  that  society.  This  required  an  annual  outlay 
of  five  hundred  dollars  more  than  was  realized  from  sub- 
scribers who  paid  for  it,  and  it  had  to  be  discontinued.  If 
all  who  got  it  had  paid  the  small  sum  it  cost,  it  would  have 
given  me  an  excellent  medium  to  promote  the  cause  of  mis- 
sions among  the  people. 

I and  the  brethren  who  helped  me  do  the  work  of  the  Mis- 
sionary Society  kept  all  going  well  for  that  one  year. 
Generally  it  is  no  reproach  to  be  poor,  but  for  a missionary 
society  to  have  an  empty  treasury  when  Christians  have  an 


59 


Fifty-five  Years  of  Active  Life 

abundance  to  keep  it  well  filled,  is  both  a reproach  and  sin. 
I held  forty-three  quarterly  meetings  and  would  have  held 
the  forty-fourth,  the  last  one  for  the  year,  but  I was  called 
to  go  to  Nebraska  and  then  to  Iowa,  to  hold  two  conferences 
for  an  afflicted  bishop.  I returned  barely  in  time  to  meet  my 
conference,  where  the  bishop  criticised  my  report  because  it 
was  not  more  complete.  Others  who  had  not  been  hurried  all 
year,  as  I was,  were  as  severely  taken  to  task.  Just  before 
finishing  the  business  of  the  conference  on  Saturday  evening, 
a leading  member  of  it  said  to  the  bishop  that  many  felt  that 
he  had  been  severe  in  exacting  from  them  annually  complete 
reports,  and  asked  him  to  pour  a little  oil  on  the  troubled 
waters.  The  bishop  replied  that  he  would  leave  them  on 
Monday  morning  for  a year,  and  he  hoped  that  their  'work 
would  be  so  well  done  that  there  would  be  no  need  of  his 
finding  fault  again,  and  that  was  all  the  comfort  we  got  from 
him.  It  was  true  that  the  pastors  did  faithful  work  the  next 
year,  and  no  fault  was  found  by  that  bishop  at  the  next  an- 
nual gathering  of  Miami  Conference.  His  course  reminds 
one  of  the  Irishman  who  hired  to  a farmer  to  drive  his  four- 
horse  team,  and  was  put  to  hauling  stone.  In  going  through 
a very  deep  mud-hole  he  applied  the  whip  to  Dick,  who  was 
the  leader,  leaving  the  other  three  horses  without  any  in- 
centive to  work.  Being  asked  why  he  whipped  Dick,  who 
always  pulled  his  best,  he  replied  that  it  was  no  use  to  whip 
horses  which  did  not  pull.  Willing  workers  are  wdiipped  some- 
times simply  because  they  do  pull  well. 

The  bishop’s  criticism  reminds  me  of  the  reprimand  given 
by  a bishop  for  wearing  a beard.  The  man  rebuked  asked  the 
bishop  whether  it  was  any  more  harm  to  wear  hair  on  the 
under  part  of  his  head  than  on  top,  when  the  hair  grew  there 
naturally.  Another  very  bald  man,  with  a heavy  beard-,  asked 
if  it  really  was  wicked  to  have  hair  on  the  lower  part,  and 
none  on  top  of  his  head,  and  if  so,  what  he  was  to  do.  That 
bishop  lived  long  enough  to  see  the  folly  of  his  notions,  and 
he  wore  a heavy  beard  for  some  years  before  he  died. 


GO 


In  the  Gospel  Ministry 

• 

There  was  a colored  minister  who  preached  on  the  text, 
“But  the  very  hairs  of  your  head  are  all  numbered,”  who  said, 
that  if  they  had  a microscope  they  could  see  the  number  on 
the  end  of  every  hair  they  had.  A smart  young  fellow  who 
thought  he  would  annoy  his  school-teacher,  came  to  her  with 
a hair  and  asked  her  to  tell  what  the  number  of  it  was.  She 
told  him  that  was  number  one,  and  then  pulling  a 
bunch  of  hair  out  of  his  head,  she  began  counting,  showing 
him  numbers  two,  three,  four,  five,  etc.,  and  asked  him 
if  he  wanted  to  know  anything  more  about  the  numbers  on 
the  hairs  of  his  head,  but  he  was  satisfied. 

The  Board  of  Missions,  at  its  meeting  in  1859,  had  appro- 
priated certain  sums  to  all  the  mission  conferences,  a part  of 
which  they  were  to  collect  within  their  own  bounds,  some 
appropriations  being  $500  and  $200,  which  they  were  to  col- 
lect themselves.  At  the  end  of  the  year  not  only  had  the 
Missionary  Society  failed  to  pay  its  part  fully,  but  these  con- 
ferences had  failed  to  collect  a part  of  their  portion  also. 
The  president  of  a college  and  the  editor  of  our  Church  paper, 
both  good  debaters,  at  the  annual  meeting  in  1860  had  an 
exceedingly  spirited  discussion  on  the  question  as  to  how 
much  they  had  used. 

The  one  added  the  sum  the  Board  had  paid  to  the  amount 
the  conference  was  to  raise  itself,  and  made  the  amount  look 
respectable.  The  other  took  what  the  Board  had  paid,  and 
added  what  had  actually  been  collected  in  the  conference,  and 
the  sum  was  considerably  less.  That  debate  was  very  amusing. 

There  was  a man  there  who  was  a trustee  of  a college,  and 
who  was  a great  advocate  of  manual  labor  in  connection  with 
college  study.  He  made  a speech  declaring  that  the  only  thing 
for  the  missionaries  who  failed  to  get  money  to  live  on  to  do 
was  to  engage  in  “emanuel  labor.”  He  always  used  the  word 
“emanuel”  instead  of  “manual.” 


Cl 


CHAPTER  XI. 


1800-61 — Lecturing  on  Missions — Great  Success  in  the  Frontier — 
“White-Man  Fashion”- — Throwing  the  Teacher. 

Owing  to  the  continued  hard  times,  making  it  well  nigh 
impossible  to  enlarge  collections  for  missions  in  the  ordinary 
way,  and  the  fact  that  what  was  secured  was  divided  between 
the  Board  and  the  annual  conferences  by  the  vote  of  the  con- 
ferences every  year,  the  home  missionaries  being  voters  and 
present  to  plead  their  own  wants,  the  Board  was  always  at 
a disadvantage.  This  caused  me  to  strive  hard  to  reach  men 
of  wealth  who  could  give  large  sums,  hoping  in  that  way  not 
only  to  get  money  for  present  needs,  but  by  bequest  and  other 
forms  of  obligation  to  provide  for  the  future.  With  that  end 
in  view,  I spent  much  time  lecturing  on  missions,  especially 
showing  the  great  needs  of  Africa,  and  wrote  a good  deal  for 
the  Church  papers,  pleading  with  God  and  man  for  more  mis- 
sionary money.  Other  friends  of  missions,  especially  some  of 
the  members  of  the  Board,  also  spoke  publicly  and  wrote  and 
prayed  in  behalf  of  deliverance  from  our  missionary  debt  and 
for  more  financial  ability  to  keep  missionaries  at  work.  Thank 
God ! these  united  labors  and  prayers  were  not  in  vain.  Help 
did  come  by  the  gift  of  about  one  thousand  acres  of  land, 
from  two  members  of  our  Church,  which  was  worth  more  than 
the  debt,  but  could  not  be  turned  into  cash  at  that  time  with- 
out great  loss,  owing  to  the  financial  stringency.  I also  in- 
fluenced a man,  who  lived  neighbor  to  me  once,  to  will  to  the 
society  a farm  and  a house  and  lot,  which  some  years  later 
brought  to  the  Missionary  treasury  about  $14,000.  Enough 
cash  was  realized  to  reduce  the  debt  from  $7,000  to  $5,000 
during  this  year. 


G2 


In  the  Gospel  Ministry 


One  thing  which  greatly  helped  to  accomplish  these  results 
was  the  excellent  success  our  missionaries  had  in  the  frontier 
department  of  our  work.  There  was  a wonderful  spirit  of 
revival  attending  their  labors.  In  several  instances  the  mis- 
sionaries wrote  that  they  must  turn  aside  and  do  something 
else  to  secure  a living,  for  they  could  not  possibly  live  on  the 
pittance  they  were  receiving,  but  they  did.  Like  the  boy  who 
whistled  in  school,  and  upon  being  reprimanded,  said,  “It 
just  whistled  itself,”  so  some  of  our  missionaries  were  in  the 
midst  of  great  revivals  which  would  not  allow  them  to  cease 
their  labors.  True,  they  and  their  families  lived  poorly 
enough,  but  they  got  along,  and  God  blessed  them  greatly. 
The  Board  and  its  missionaries  tried  to  retrench,  but  God’s 
salvation  was  poured  out  upon  the  people  abundantly,  and 
they  went  forward,  despite  their  efforts  to  go  the  other  way. 
In  the  ten  mission  conferences  there  were  over  three  thousand 
accessions  to  the  Church  during  the  year.  President  Lincoln 
said  that  in  the  middle  of  the  river  was  a poor  place  to  trade 
horses.  In  the  midst  of  the  great  success  of  this  year  it  was 
exceedingly  difficult  to  retrench  or  lessen  the  work  attempted. 
Xotwithstanding  the  condition  of  our  treasury  made  it  look 
as  though  it  must  be  done,  it  was  not  done.  There  was  another 
condition  which  made  it  well  nigh  impossible  to  diminish  our 
efforts.  We  had  missionaries  in  Kentucky  and  Tennessee  who 
were  greatly  persecuted  on  account  of  our  anti-slavery  views. 
We  could  not  abandon  them  and  do  right.  It  looked  as  if  we 
were  held  by  Providence  to  stick  to  the  work.  On  our  frontier 
missions  there  were  ten  thousand  accessions  to  the  Church 
and  in  the  entire  denomination  there  were  33,054  in  the  four 
years  ending  May,  1861.  There  are  times.when  religious  mat- 
ters do  so  impress  people  that  they  cannot  be  satisfied  with- 
out, in  some  way,  showing  their  interest  in  the  matter. 

^ % 

In  Africa,  some  natives  thought  that  dressing  “white  man 
fashion”  is  to  lie  a Christian.  We  had  a man  of  that  kind 


C3 


Fifty-five  Years  of  Active  Life 

in  our  employ  as  captain  of  the  mission  boat.  He  first  got 
a pair  of  white  trousers  and  put  them  on;  then  next  day  a 
check  shirt;  a couple  of  days  later  red-topped  boots  and  a 
silk  hat  were  secured.  He  was  from  Monday  until  Saturday 
getting  the  outfit,  and  on  Sunday,  just  after  I read  my  text, 
he  entered  the  chapel  and  passed  the  whole  length  of  the  house 
to  the  pulpit.  He  tucked  the  pants  inside  the  boots  to  show 
the  red  tops;  he  had  his  shirt  outside  of  his  trousers  to  be 
cool,  and  the  hat  was  worn  at  an  angle  of  about  forty-five 
degrees  on  his  head.  Thus  he  had  turned  white  man,  and  as 
such,  sat  on  the  seat  in  the  pulpit  during  the  service. 

Having  been  detained  in  Freetown  by  a slight  fever  one 
whole  day  and  night,  I had  this  same  man  for  my  night  nurse. 
When  we  got  back  to  Shenge,  he  ran  to  the  house  to  Mr. 
Gomer  and  said:  “Massa  been  sick  too  much  this  time;  he 
just  lef  little  bit  for  die.”  Simply  because  he  had  to  stay 
with  me  one  night  to  give  me  water  and  medicine,  he  thought 
I “lef’  little  bit  for  die.” 

When  about  eight  years  old,  I and  a chum  of  mine,  a year 
older,  were  given  as  our  first  reading  lesson  in  school,  the 
first  chapter  of  Genesis,  one-half  for  the  forenoon  and  the 
other  half  for  the  afternoon.  The  teacher  was  a feeble  old 
man  who  used  the  ruler  a good  deal  to  make  the  scholars 
study  and  behave.  We  were  told  that  .the  chapter  had  to  be  so 
well  studied  that  we  could  read  it  without  miscalling  any 
words.  There  were  no  first,  second,  and  third  readers  then. 
As  that  chapter  had  thirty-one  verses,  we  were  somewhat  per- 
plexed to  find  the  half-way  place  in  it,  and  we  feared  to  ask 
our  teacher  lest  he  would  answer  by  hitting  us  with  the  ruler, 
a way  he  had  of  answering  his  scholars  not  unfrequently.  We 
made  an  earnest  effort  to  do  as  we  were  told,  but,  alas,  we 
made  some  mistakes  while  reading  in  the  forenoon  and  got 
our  hands  well  warmed  with  the  ruler,  which  the  teacher 
nearly  always  had  in  his  hand.  We  resolved  to  study  in  the 
afternoon  and  do  our  best,  but  decided  that  if  he  attempted  to 
use  the  ruler  on  us  when  reciting  again  we  would  grab 


64 


In  the  Gospel  Ministry 

his  legs  and  throw  him  down,  which  we  did,  he  coming 
down  upon  the  puncheon  floor  pretty  hard.  After  throwing 
the  teacher  on  the  floor  we  ran  out  and  down  a steep  bank 
to  the  creek  near  by,  where  we  knew  he  could  not  follow  us. 
He  came  there  and  called  us  to  come  back,  which  we  told  him 
we  would  not  do  unless  he  agreed  to  cease  striking  us  with 
that  ruler.  He  did  not  promise  then,  but  before  he  dismissed 
school  that  evening  he  said  he  would  not  punish  us  if  we 
returned,  nor  did  he.  We  continued  to  go  to  school  and 
finally  did  learn  to  read  the  first  chapter  of  Genesis,  and 
others  in  the  old  Book.  That  ruler  was  used  less  afterwards 
on  others,  as  well  as  ourselves,  and  we  were  assured  of  help 
to  down  the  old  teacher  again  unless  he  quit  his  cruelty. 
That  was  the  first  real  missionary  work  I helped  plan  and  ex- 
ecute, and  it  did  not  only  the  teacher  good,  but  the  school, 
for  we  got  on  well  afterward. 

In  the  same  schoolhouse,  several  years  later,  another 
teacher  hit  me  very  hard  with  a four-foot  switch,  when  going 
to  the  water-bucket  for  a drink,  saying,  “I  will  teach  you  how 
to  walk  and  not  make  noise.”  My  father  was  a director  and 
I told  him  how  I had  been  treated.  He  went  to  the  school- 
house  the  next  morning  and  turned  up  a couple  of  slabs  of  the 
floor  and  pulled  out  a jug  of  whisky,  and  then  waited  till  the 
teacher  came,  when  he  emptied  the  jug,  and  told  the  teacher 
that  if  there  was  any  more  complaints  of  his  punishing  pnpils 
for  nothing  he  would  be  dismissed.  That  was  another  little 
piece  of  missionary  work  I did,  and  it  worked  grandly,  for 
that  teacher  was  all  right  when  not  under  the  influence  of 
whisky ; and  he  never  was  again  while  he  taught  that  school. 


C5 


CHAPTER  XII. 


1861-62 — Goes  to  Freetown  — Dealing  With  English  Law  — Anti- 
Slavery  Money — Drunken  Captain — Encounters  a Gale. 

This  was  another  eventful  year.  The  debt  of  the  Mission- 
ary Society  had  again  increased  from  $5,000  to 
$7,000.  The  only  hope  of  being  able  to  continue  the  African 
mission  was  to  sell  the  Freetown  property,  which  had  been 
bought  for  an  acclimating  and  health-recruiting  station  for 
missionaries.  Our  missionary  in  charge  of  that  work  had 
found  a purchaser,  but  when  he  came  to  make  the  deed  a 
defect  in  the  title  was  found,  which  caused  the  purchaser  to 
decline  to  take  it.  With  the  hope  that  I might  sell  it,  and 
thus  get  money  to  pay  the  debts  against  the  mission,  and  put 
things  in  shape  to  continue  the  work,  the  Executive  Committee 
requested  me  to  go  to  Africa  the  third  time.  I sailed  from 
New  York  City  the  first  of  November,  and  returned  the  fol- 
lowing April.  I succeeded,  after  much  effort,  in  selling  the 
house  in  Freetown  and  paid  all  the  debts  against  the  mission, 
amounting  to  three  hundred  and  seventy  dollars.  I also 
bought  a canoe  for  the  native  missionary,  which  he  much 
needed,  and  supplied  him  with  money  to  hold  the  fort  an- 
other year. 

The  first  vessel  that  reached  Freetown  from  England  after 
I arrived,  brought  the  rumor  that  England  had  declared  war 
against  the  United  States,  which  not  only  greatly  militated 
against  the  sale  of  our  property  in  Freetown,  but  kept  me 
from  realizing  any  cash  until  a good  deed  was  delivered  to 
the  purchaser,  signed  by  every  member  of  our  Board  of  Mis- 
sions. My  contract  was  to  get  one-half  down,  but  the  lawyer 
advised  the  purchaser  to  pay  nothing  before  such  a deed  was 
furnished  him.  Had  our  local  trustee  done  his  duty,  and  had 
the  deed  been  made  right  at  first,  much  trouble  and  expense 


66 


In  the  Gospel  Ministry 


would  have  been  saved.  It  was  necessary  to  have  a local 
trustee  to  hold  that  property  for  our  Board  in  America,  and 
he,  through  carelessness  or  otherwise,  had  gotten  the  matter 
into  good  shape  for  the  property  to  revert  to  the  Crown  of 
England.  We  being  so  poor,  and  England  so  rich,  made  such 
a possibility  painful  to  contemplate.  Xever  while  memory 
lasts  can  I forget  the  patience,  perseverance,  and  shrewdness 
I had  to  practise,  and  the  painful  emotions  which  I endured, 
because  of  the  many  difficulties  in  the  way  of  getting  a deed, 
though  I had  a power  of  attorney  to  sell  and  convey  the 
property. 

Another  difficulty  confronted  me.  If  war  should  be  declared 
by  England  against  the  United  States,  it  would  be  best  for  me 
to  leave  soon,  or  I might  not  get  away  at  all,  and  my 
belongings  might  be  confiscated.  My  best  friends  advised  me 
to  leave  as  soon  as  possible,  which  I did,  after  all  was  in  shape 
to  sell  the  property  and  get  the  money  to  apply  to  prosecu- 
tion of  African  missions.  Truly,  God  helped  me  to  bring  about 
that  which  seemed  impossible  for  a time,  and  saved  our 
Church  from  abandoning  Africa. 

I paid  the  entire  expense  of  that  trip  to  Africa  and  back 
on  sail  vessels,  which,  however,  Avas  a small  matter  in  com- 
parison to  the  discomfort  and  sufferings  which  I endured. 
On  my  way  out,  a fearful  gale  filled  my  cabin  Avith  water, 
and  on  my  Avay  home,  an  equally  severe  storm  was  en- 
countered. Then  the  ship  was  short  of  provisions  on  the 
home  voyage.  For  tAvo  Aveeks  the  only  food  Ave  had  was 
wormy  bread,  “soav  belly,”  as  the  sailors  called  it,  and  black 
coffee.  The  captain  and  crew  Avere  very  profane,  and  their 
only  passenger  Avas  much  neglected. 

Another  remarkable  occurrence,  or  gracious  providence,  1 
should  call  it,  was  this:  Just  after  I returned  from  Africa, 
M.  W.  Blanchard,  of  Kentucky,  came  into  my  office  at  Day- 
ton,  Ohio,  to  tell  me  that  he  had  several  thousand  dollars 
of  missionary  money,  and  that  he  had  heard  that  the  United 
Brethren  in  Christ  Avas  an  anti-slavery  church,  and  wished  to 


67 


Fifty-five  Years  of  Active  Life 


know  how  that  was.  A Discipline  was  shown  him  with  our 
anti-slavery  clause  in  it,  and  he  was  assured  that  we  lived 
up  to  its  requirements,  absolutely  keeping  all  slave-holders 
out  of  the  Church.  This  led  to  his  paying  our  treasurer 
two  thousand  dollars  then,  and  caused  him  to  send 
more,  so  that  in  all  we  received  $4,200  from  him.  Truly  God 
had  heard  our  people,  who  had  prayed  that  our  missions  in 
Africa  and  in  America  should  not  perish  for  lack  of  money 
to  keep  them  going. 

About  that  time  a Mr.  Lane,  of  Illinois,  gave  our  Board  of 
Missions  land  valued  at  $4,250,  and  transferred  to  it  notes 
amounting  to  $10,007.34.  This  was  not  made  available  for 
several  years,  and  some  of  it  was  never  received,  hut  it  gave 
the  society  a financial  basis,  or  credit,  which  it  had  not  be- 
fore, as  it  had  no  assets  to  put  against  its  standing  debt  of 
$7,000.  These  evidences  of  God’s  superintending  providence 
greatly  encouraged  me.  My  course  had  been  very  severely 
criticised  and  my  motives  impugned.  I was  charged  by  some 
with  going  to  Africa  simply  to  make  pleasure  trips,  and  by 
others  with  attempting  the  impossible  to  save  “niggers.” 

That  third  trip  to  Africa  was  a very  trying  one  in  many 
respects.  I shipped  to  go  direct  to  Freetown,  but  was  first 
taken  to  Goree,  and  the  vessel  remained  there  and  at  Bathurst 
so  long  that  I took  steamer  from  Bathurst,  which  cost  extra. 
It  was  while  waiting  in  Goree  that  I was  asked  to  baptize  a 
white  baby,  whose  parents  were  English.  I did  so  in  the  usual 
way,  making  a short  prayer  before  going  through  the  cere- 
mony of  applying  the  water  to  the  child’s  head.  The  brevity 
of  the  service,  and  the  little  ceremony  used,  evidently  dis- 
appointed the  parents,  and  they  showed  their  dissatisfaction. 
As  I was  leaving  the  house  I overheard  the  mother  say  to  the 
father,  “Oh,  well,  that  will  do  until  we  get  to  England,  which 
will  he  in  a few  months,  and  then  we  will  have  the  baby  bap- 
tized aright.”  It  was  a poor,  feeble-looking  creature,  as  most 
white  children  are  that  are  born  in  western  Africa,  less  than 
six  months  old,  and  might  not  have  lived  to  reach  England. 


G8 


In  the  Gospel  Ministry 


The  couple  were  quite  as  much  disappointed  as  was  a young 
woman,  whose  marriage  ceremony  I performed  soon  after  I 
began  preaching.  Her  husband,  just  before  the  ceremony, 
asked  me  to  make  it  short,  as  they  did  not  wish  to  be  on  the 
floor  long.  It  was  so  short  that  it  was  all  over  within  less 
than  a minute,  including  a prayer  at  the  close,  when  they 
were  told  to  be  seated.  The  woman  turned  to  her  husband 
and  asked  him,  “Is  that  all  that  is  to  be  done?”  It  was  all 
that  was  done,  except  to  extend  to  them  congratulations,  and 
eat  a good  supper,  after  which  I left  to  preach  that  night  at' a 
place  several  miles  away,  the  wedding  being  at  six  o’clock. 

When  our  ship  left  Goree  harbor  for  Bathurst,  the  captain 
being  quite  drunk,  got  his  feet  entangled  with  some  rope 
coiled  on  the  deck  of  the  vessel,  causing  him  to  stumble 
around  for  a time.  His  pet  dog  thought  he  was  playing,  and 
joined  in  the  sport  with  all  his  might.  This  made  the  cap- 
tain swear  like  a sailor,  and  taking  hold  of  the  dog  he  threw 
him  into  the  hold  of  the  vessel,  hurting  him  considerably. 
That  captain  and  his  steward,  who  did  all  the  cooking,  were 
both  heavily  armed,  and  had  not  spoken  to  each  other  after 
the  first  week  out  from  New  York,  then  over  a month.  The 
captain  was  afraid  of  the  cook,  and  the  cook  of  the  captain. 
He  did  his  work  as  well  as  ocean  cooks  usually  do  on  sail 
vessels.  I was  the  only  passenger  the  vessel  had,  there  being, 
all  told,  nine  of  us  aboard. 

Returning  home  on  a sail  vessel,  we  encountered 
a fearful  gale  just  as  we  got  across  the  Gulf  Stream, 
which  carried  us  several  hundred  miles  out  of  our  course,  and 
drifted  us  near  to  the  Bermuda  Islands.  While  at  dinner,  a 
large  wave  knocked  in  the  bulwark  of  the  vessel  on  one  side, 
and  put  over  six  inches  of  water  into  our  cabin  where  we  were 
dining.  The  captain  had  just  come  to  the  table  from  his  bed 
and  was  in  his  stocking  feet.  He,  the  first  mate,  and  I were 
the  only  ones  at  the  table,  as  again  I was  the  only  passenger 
aboard.  Leaving  the  table  we  all  went  to  the  door  of  the 
cabin,  when  the  captain  said,  “I  will  run  her  to  hell.”  I then 


69 


Fifty-five  Years  of  Active  Life 


said,  “Captain,  we  may  be  nearer  that  place  than  you  sup- 
pose,” which  caused  him  to  cease  his  profanity,  and  never 
until  we  reached  Philadelphia  did  he  utter  oaths  again  in  my 
hearing.  That  man  charged  $100  to  bring  me  from  Freetown 
to  Philadelphia,  and  so  starved  was  I that  it  took  me  two 
weeks  to  get  over  feeling  hungry.  We  landed  at  four  in  the 
afternoon,  when  I went  to  a restaurant  and  ate  some.  I again 
ate  at  six,  taking  a train  for  Pittsburg  at  that  time;  then  I 
ate  at  midnight  in  Harrisburg,  again  next  morning  at  Al- 
toona, and  so  kept  it  up  for  two  weeks,  never  eating  till  I 
was  satisfied,  for  fear  that  it  would  injure  me.  I had  a la- 
borer in  Africa  once  who  climbed  a large  tree  and  tore  skin 
about  the  size  of  a silver  dollar  off  his  breast.  I paid  him  all 
he  asked  extra  for  that  hazardous  undertaking.  He  then 
showed  me  how  he  had  rubbed  the  skin  off  his  breast,  and 
said,  “Massa,  please  give  me  two  or  three  crackers  to  mend 
that  place.”  He  got  the  crackers  as  soon  as  we  got  where 
they  were  at  the  mission  house,  and  that  sore  spot  was  healed 
thereby  and  his  stomach  gratified. 


CHAPTER  XIII. 


1862-63 — Civil  War — Threaten  the  Abolitionist  Preacher — Authorize 
Work  Among  the  Freedmen — Visit  to  President  Lincoln — The 
President’s  Reply  to  Doctor  Davis. 

When  I entered  upon  the  thirteenth  year  of  my  ministerial 
life,  the  Civil  War  of  1861-1865  was  at  its  height.  During 
that  year  the  great  battles  of  Vicksburg  and  Gettysburg  were 
fought.  Besides  my  usual  labors  as  secretary  I did  some  cir- 
cuit preaching,  to  supply  vacancies  made  by  some  of  the  itin- 
erants in  the  Miami  Conference  who  went  to  war,  and  others 
whose  labors  were  interrupted  by  the  war.  It  required  close 
attention  upon  the  part  of  ministers  to  keep  church  work 
intact  at  home  and  to  induce  them  to  give  missionary  money 
even  up  to  their  former  low  standard. 

I was  then  a member  of  a church  just  outside  of  the  city 
of  Dayton,  Ohio,  which  had  in  it  some  bitter  anti-war  people, 
and  who  were  very  stingy  at  best.  I was  told  at  the  close  of 
a week-night  prayer-meeting,  by  a sister  member,  that  such 
praying  as  I and  the  pastor  were  doing,  and  the  things 
preached,  had  brought  on  the  war,  and  that  she  was  deter- 
mined not  to  hear  any  more  such  preaching  or  pray- 
ing. She  soon  got  over  that  foolish  threat,  and  did 
hear  us  both  pray  for  victory  for  our  armies,  and 
for  the  freedom  of  the  slave.  I then  lived  about 
two  miles  west  of  the  court-house  of  Dayton,  and 
my  children  went  to  a country  school,  in  which  were  the  chil- 
dren of  some  very  bitter  secessionists.  One  night  my  second 
son,  then  about  eleven  years  of  age,  came  from  the  school 
greatly  agitated,  because  another  boy  had  told  him  that  his 
father  and  others  were  going  to  come  to  our  house  to  clean 

out  that  d abolitionist  preacher,  meaning  myself.  It  so 

happened  that  I had  to  go  from  home  that  night.  rl  he 


71 


Fifty-five  Years  of  Active  Life 

boy’s  uncle,  who  was  then  a cavalryman  in  Kentucky,  had 
captured  an  excellent  double-barrel  shot-gun.  and  sent  it  to 
his  nephew.  Busy  as  I was  that  evening  preparing  to  leave 
home  on  a night  train  to-  be  gone  several  days,  I took  time 
to  clean  up  that  gun  and  shoot  it  a few  times  to  see  that  it 
worked  all  right,  and  to  show  my  wife  how  to  load  and  fire 
it,  and  what  she  had  better  do  if  she  heard  footsteps 
on  the  porch  or  at  the  front  door,  or  if  there  should  be  an 
effort  to  force  an  entrance  into  the  house.  I left  the  family 
alone  feeling  that  all  would  be  well,  and  sure  that  if  an  at- 
tack was  made  the  party  doing  so  would  get  the  worst  of  it. 
Dayton  at  that  time  and  until  after  Mr.  Vallandigham,  a 
rank  secessionist,  was  sent  inside  the  rebel  lines,  was  the  hot- 
bed of  secessionists,  and  more  than  once  bloodshed  was  threat- 
ened, and  if  such  had  been  precipitated  by  some  overt  act, 
blood,  no  doubt,  would  have  been  shed  freely. 

I heard  an  old  preacher  tell  once  that  he  fell  into  company 
with  another  traveler  crossing  the  Alleghany  Mountains,  both 
on  horseback.  Toward  evening,  when  at  a lonely  spot,  the 
stranger  pointed  a pistol  at  him  and  said,  “Your  money  or 
your  life !”  The  preacher  quickly  drew  the  pistol  from  him, 
and  held  it  over  his  head  to  strike  him,  when  he  called  out, 
“Don’t  do  so,  for  that  pistol  is  empty  and  I only  wanted  to 
scare  you  a little.”  Said  the  preacher : “How  could  I know 
whether  your  pistol  was  loaded  or  empty,  and  how  could  I 
know  whether  you  were  in  fun  or  earnest  ? I ought  to  knock 
you  off  of  your  horse  yet,  just  to  teach  you  a little  sense,  and 
would  do  so  were  I not  a preacher.”  That  man  saw  his  folly 
and  made  an  apology. 

The  following  taken  from  my  report,  made  to  the  Board 
of  Missions  in  May,  1863,  will  show  to  some  extent  the  state 
of  things  then : “Meeting  at  a time  when  a most  wicked  re- 
bellion is  exhausting  the  energies  of  this  country,  filling  the 
land  with  devastation  and  mourning,  it  is  fit  to  call  to  remem- 
brance the  unfaltering  adherence  of  our  fathers  to  the  prin- 
ciples of  right,  especially  in  their  firm  opposition  to  that  sin 


72 


In  the  Gospel  Ministry 

which  has  so  justly  brought  upon  our  nation  the  judgment 
of  Almighty  God.  For  more  than  forty  years  we  have  re- 
fused membership  to  slaveholders;  because  of  this  many  have 
turned  from  us,  and  we  have  been  subjected  to  much  oppo- 
sition and  injustice,  especially  in  the  slave  States.  Xo  one 
now  doubts  the  wisdom  of  our  fathers  in  preferring  right  to 
members  and  popularity.  The  progress  the  nation  is  making 
in  breaking  the  shackles  of  the  enslaved  is  a reward  for  all 
that  has  been  suffered  and  for  the  sacrifices  we  may  yet  have 
to  make  before  the  terrible  struggle  ends.”  At  that  same 
meeting,  the  following  resolutions  were  adopted:  “1.  That  we 
commence  a mission  among  the  Freedmen.  2.  That  in  con- 
nection with  this  work  we  will  do  all  we  can  for  the  destitute 
whites  in  the  South.  3.  That  an  appropriation  of  $400  be 
made,  and  the  appointment  of  a man,  and  that  the  further 
interests  of  this  work  be  referred  to  the  executive  committee.” 
Owing  to  the  fact  that  the  Board  had  already  more  mission 
work  on  hand  than  it  could  well  provide  for,  there  was  a hesi- 
tancy to  undertake  more.  I proposed  to  give  $200  of  the 
$400  asked,  which  I did,  and  the  other  was  made  by  special 
collections,  and  an  excellent  work  was  commenced.  This  was 
continued  for  a couple  of  years  and  then  was  turned  over  to 
the  Freedman’s  Mission,  an  organization  which  did  a great 
and  good  work  in  the  South,  but  no  better  than  the  United 
Brethren  Church  did  while  it  worked  there. 

In  August  of  this  year,  in  company  with  Bishop  Edwards 
and  Dr.  L.  Davis,  I went  to  Washington  City  and  called  on 
President  Lincoln  to  get  government  transportation  for  our 
missionaries  and  supplies  to  open  a mission  in  Vicksburg, 
Mississippi,  also  to  secure  the  privilege  to  occupy  vacant  houses 
for  the  use  of  the  Freedmen.  As  Mr.  Stanton  was  then  Secre- 
tary of  War,  we  called  on  him ; he  sent  us  to  a Mr.  Town- 
send, and  he  then  sent  us  to  President  Lincoln,  to  whom  we 
were  introduced  by  Messrs.  Schenck  and  Wade,  then  members 
of  Congress  from  Ohio.  We  spent  three-quarters  of  an  hour 
with  the  President. 


73 


Fifty-five  Years  of  Active  Life 

All  we  asked  was  granted  by  the  President  but  the  use  of 
empty  houses.  He  said  he  could  not  allow  that  except  for 
military  purposes.  Vicksburg  had  fallen  into  our  hands  only 
in  July,  and  as  a matter  of  course  all  was  under  military 
control  there.  The  President  was  in  his  shirt  sleeves,  and 
much  care  worn,  vet  took  ample  time  to  consider  all  we  said 
to  him.  He  told  how  he  was  killing  slavery,  as  a good  doc- 
tor would  remove  a wen  from  a man's  neck,  not  by  cutting 
it  out,  for  in  that  case  the  man  might  bleed  to  death,  but  by 
squeezing  it  hard  every  now  and  then  and  killing  it  that  way. 
If  he  attempted  to  abolish  slavery  at  once,  the  nation  would 
probably  die,  so  he  wished  to  kill  slavery  and  yet  save  our  na- 
tion. When  we  were  ready  to  leave,  Doctor  Davis  said,  while 
holding  the  President’s  hand,  “I  hope  God  will  be  with  you.” 
To  which  he  replied  quickly,  “It  is  much  more  important 
that  I be  with  God,  for  he  is  always  right.” 

President  Lincoln  had  to  bring  about  the  abolition  of 
slavery  like  the  old  slave  told  his  master  of  the  way  his  cart 
and  yoke  of  oxen  were  destroyed.  The  slave  was  sent  to  the 
woods  for  a load  of  wood.  He  cut  down  a tree  which  fell 
the  opposite  way  from  what  he  expected,  killing  both  oxen 
and  badly  breaking  the  cart.  Returning  without  anything, 
his  master  asked  him  where  the  cart  and  oxen  were.  He  said 
he  cut  down  a tree  and  it  fell  the  wrong  way,  and  killed  one 
ox.  “Well,  why  did  you  not  bring  the  other  ox  and  cart  with 
you  ?”  “Why,  massa,  dat  tree  broke  de  cart.”  “Why  did  you 
not  bring  home  the  ox  then  ?”  “Why,  massa,  dat  ox  done  get 
killed,  too.”  “Sam,  why  did  you  not  tell  me  at  once  that  both 
oxen  were  killed  and  the  cart  smashed?”  “Massa,  I told  you 
dat  way  so  you  could  stood  it  better.”  So  President  Lincoln 
sought  to  choke  slavery  to  death  by  degrees  so  the  nation 
could  stand  it. 


74 


CHAPTER  XIV. 


1863-64 — Opening  a School  at  Vicksburg — Miss  Dickey — Subsequent 
Fate  of  Vicksburg  Mission. 

The  fourteenth  year  commenced  in  the  autumn  o'f  1863, 
when  our  Civil  War  was  causing  great  suffering.  I was  very 
busy,  especially  looking  after  the  new  missions.  The  work 
among  the  Freedmen  pleased  our  people,  and  they  freely  sent 
money,  clothing,  and  hooks  for  that  purpose.  By  December 
we  had  two  ministers  and  four  women  teachers  in  Vicksburg, 
Mississippi,  teaching  five  hundred  freedmen  and  preaching 
to  many  more.  A church  was  organized,  and  grew  to  over 
four  hundred  members  in  one  year.  A school  was  commenced 
at  Davis  Bend,  not  very  far  from  Vicksburg,  which  could  be 
continued  only  a couple  of  months  because  of  the  withdrawal 
of  the  Federal  troops,  making  it  unsafe  to  continue  it  longer. 
At  one  time  we  had  nine  laborers  in  Vicksburg,  but  some  did 
not  remain  very  long  on  account  of  becoming  sick.  The  prog- 
ress made  by  the  freedmen  in  their  studies  was  remarkable. 
In  a few  months  many  of  them  learned  to  read  quite  well,  and 
made  equally  as  rapid  progress  in  penmanship,  geography, 
grammar,  and  arithmetic.  They  eagerly  sought  all  the  knowl- 
edge within  their  reach,  both  in  the  day  and  Sunday  schools, 
and  by  listening  to  preaching.  This  was  true  of  young  and 
old. 

During  the  year  I visited  Vicksburg,  and  spent  several 
days  there,  including  a Sabbath,  when  I preached  to  a large 
congregation  made  up  of  freedmen,  our  teachers  and  others. 
Chaplain  Warren,  a venerable  and  humorous  minister,  was 
the  general  superintendent  of  the  freedmen’s  educational 
and  religious  work  there,  and  he  told  -me  that  the  United 
Brethren  Church  had  sent  a company  of  excellent  teachers 


75 


Fifty-five  Years  of  Active  Life 

and  workers  to  Vicksburg.  One  lady,  he  remarked,  was  not 
suited  to  labor  with  others,  so  he  put  her  alone,  and  she  was 
doing  efficient  work.  That  lady  teacher  was  not  satisfied  to 
have  others  .do  as  they  liked,  but  insisted  on  having  them  do 
as  she  dictated,  and  yet  she  was  a good  Christian  worker. 

Another  one  of  the  teachers  we  sent  there,  not  being  as  good 
a scholar  as  she  thought  she  ought  to  be,  and  quite  poor, 
pawned  her  watch  to  get  money  to  go  to  Mt.  Holyoke,  Massa- 
chusetts, where  she  spent  four  years  working  her  way  through 
college.  She  then  went  South  and  opened  a school  for  col- 
ored girls,  which  grew  to  become  a large  and  prosperous  in- 
stitution, conducted  after  the  Alt.  Holyoke  plan.  She,  being 
its  president,  frequently  came  North  and  East  to  solicit 
money,  while  friends  in  the  South  helped  her,  until  that  in- 
stitution owned  about  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  of  land, 
excellent  buildings,  and  the  apparatus  and  equipment  neces- 
sary to  operate  it.  This  she  did  for  about  thirty  years,  or 
until  her  death,  in  January,  1904.  I first  met  Sarah  A.  Dickey 
at  the  mourner’s  bench.  She  was  seventeen  nights  at  the 
altar  seeking  salvation  with  all  the  earnestness  of  her 
soul.  How  true  the  declaration  made  by  St.  Paul,  “But  the 
natural  man  receiveth  not  the  things  of  the  Spirit  of  God: 
for  they  are  foolishness  unto  him : neither  can  he  know  them, 
because  they  are  spiritually  discerned.”  God  knew  the  work 
lie  was  preparing  that  young  woman  for,  and  the  test  of  faith 
and  perseverance  she  heeded  during  the  time  she  agonized  at 
that  altar  for  the  pardon  of  sin  and  to  obtain  evidence  of  her 
acceptance  with  God. 

During  my  stay  in  Vicksburg,  in  company  with  several  of 
our  teachers  I visited  the  tree  under  which  General  Pemberton 
surrendered  to  General  Grant,  and  had  a limb  cut  for  a cane, 
which  is  still  in  the  family. 

As  I do  not  wish  to  write  about  our  work  in  Vicksburg 
again,  I will  run  ahead  a few.  years.  That  work,  so  glorious 
in  results,  being  discontinued,  led  to  severe  criticism  for 
throwing  away  several  thousand  dollars,  which  some  thought 


76 


In  the  Gospel  Ministry 

was  done  simply  because  we  did  not  gather  into  United  Breth- 
ren churches  the  people  we  had  helped.  The  report  I made  to 
our  Board  of  Missions  one  year  later  had  these  words  in  it: 
“During  the  year  about  fifteen  thousand  freedmen  received 
instruction  in  the  Southwest,  seven  hundred  of  them  from  our 
teachers,  many  of  whom  have  learned  to  read  and  write  quite 
well.”  The  following  was  passed  by  the  Board  at  that  time : 
“That  it  is  the  duty  of  the  Christian  church  to  put  forth 
extraordinary  efforts  for  the  spiritual,  moral,  and  political 
regeneration  of  the  people  of  the  South,  without  distinction 
of  color;  and  that  in  view  of  the  antecedent  history  of  the 
United  Brethren  Church,  the  position  it  has  always  occupied 
with  respect  to  the  subject  of  slavery  and  the  rights  of  the  en- 
slaved, it  is  peculiarly  fitting  and  incumbent  upon  it  to  go  and 
occupy,  to  the  fullest  extent  of  its  ability,  this  moral  waste 
and  needy  field,  and  that  not  less  than  ten  thousand  dollars 
be  applied  to  this  work.” 

Owing  to  the  changed  relations  of  the  Xorth  and  South  at 
the  close  of  the  war,  we  resolved  not  to  continue  the  freed- 
man’s  mission  as  a separate  department  of  work,  but  to  send 
as  many  missionaries  into  the  Southern  field  as  we  could,  to 
labor  for  the  salvation  of  the  people  irrespective  of  color. 
Shortly  after  hostilities  ceased  the  military  authorities  at 
Vicksburg  remanded  the  lot  upon  which  our  mission  chapel 
was  built  to  its  owner,  who  demanded  the  removal  of  the  build- 
ing at  onc-e.  As  we  could  not  procure  another  lot  without  great 
cost,  it  was  thought  best  to  abandon  that  place  altogether. 
The  people  who  had  united  with  our  Church  had  mostly  gone 
to  other  places,  and  the  city  was  fully  occupied  by  other 
churches.  We  received  for  the  house  four  hundred  and  fifty 
dollars,  and  for  goods  and  other  equipments  we  had  there, 
three  hundred  and  nineteen  dollars,  a total  of  seven  hundred 
and  sixty-nine  dollars.  Our  Board  did  great  good  while  it 
operated  in  Vicksburg,  but  alas ! that  was  pretty  nearly  all 
it  did  for  the  South  for  many  years  afterward,  except  having 
small  missions  in  Kentucky  and  Tennessee,  though  it  did  say 


77 


Fifty-five  Years  of  Active  Life 

that  not  less  than  ten  thousand  dollars  be  applied  to  work  in 
that  field. 

A cobbler’s  sign  read,  “Soles  saved  here.”  A man  going  in 
to  see  what  it  meant  learned  that  a peg  here  and  a stitch  there 
did  save  soles.  He  concluded  that  it  would  be  a good  sign  to 
put  on  a church,  “Souls  saved  here,”  and  especially  if  its 
worshipers,  like  the  cobbler,  did  what  they  could  to  save  souls. 
There  was  practical  good  sense  in  that  mother  whose  daughter, 
just  after  graduating  from  a high  school,  was  telling  to  others 
that  she  wished  next  to  study  psychology,  philology,  and  biol- 
ogy. She  said  to  the  girl,  “Stop  right  there;  I have  arranged 
for  you  a course  in  roastology,  boilology,  stitchology,  darn- 
ology,  and  general  domestic  hustleology.  Now  get  on  your 
working  clothes  and  I will  give  you  the  first  lesson.” 


78 


CHAPTER  XV. 


18G4-65 — In  the  Christian  Commission — Preaching  to  the  Soldiers  at 
Nashville — Smallpox  Hospital— A Bishop's  Loyalty  Questioned — 
A Joke  on  Two  Home  Guards. 

From  the  fall  of  1864  to  the  fall  of  1865  was  a year  of  un- 
usual excitement  on  account  of  the  war.  We  in  the  North  had 
much  to  do  to  help  the  Union  cause,  such  as  paying  for  uni- 
forms for  our  home  guards,  supporting  soldiers’  families, 
and  otherwise  helping  them.  Besides  giving  considerable 
sums  of  money  for  these  purposes,  I gave  six  weeks’  time  do- 
ing hard  work  as  a delegate  of  the  Christian  Commission. 
There  were  thousands  of  soldiers  in  the  hospitals,  and  squads 
of  them  in  other  places  as  guards  of  railroads  and  other  val- 
uable property,  all  of  whom  needed  more  attention  than  the 
Government  could,  or  at  least  did  give  them.  The  Sanitary 
and  Christian  commissions  sent  persons  to  minister  to  their 
spiritual  needs,  which  they  did  by  distributing  religious 
literature,  holding  prayer-meetings  and  preaching,  and  in 
some  instances  supplying  them  with  mittens,  socks,  etc. 
Delegates  gave  their  time  gratis,  but  the  government  gave 
them  transportation  to  and  from  the  places,  and  furnished 
their  board  and  lodging. 

I went  to  Nashville,  Tennessee,  soon  after  the  battle  be- 
tween Generals  Hood  and  Thomas,  in  January,  1865,  and 
was  first  appointed  to  Hospital  Nineteen,  in  Nashville,  where 
T spent  two  weeks.  The  surgeon  there  who  had  charge  of  the 
badly  wounded  requested  my  help  to  dress  the  wounds  and 
wait  on  those  who  were  sick.  A young  man  who  had  had  one 
arm  and  one  leg  amputated,  having  also  had  a bullet  go  clear 
through  his  right  lung  and  come  o\it,  met  us  with  a cheery 
“Good-morning.”  He  was  very  patient  when  his  wounds  were 
dressed,  and  said  he  would  be  out  of  that  in  a few  weeks.  He 


79 


Fifty-five  Years  of  Active  Life 

got  well.  Another  man  with  only  a slight  flesh  wound  on  his 
big  toe  made  more  ado  over  it  than  did  the  badly-wounded 
man,  and  he  said  it  was  sure  to  kill  him,  and  it  did.  It  was 
indeed  a sickening  sight  to  go  through  the  ward  where  all 
were  badly  wounded,  or  very  sick.  In  some  of  the  wards  the 
soldiers  were  cheerful,  and  showed  great  loyalty  to  the  Gov- 
ernment. 

The  Sundays  spent  in  Nashville  were  very  busy  days.  On 
one  I preached  four  times — once  to  a regiment  just  outside 
the  city  in  the  open  air,  the  soldiers  being  formed  into  a hol- 
low square,  while  I stood  on  the  stump  of  a large  oak  tree. 
The  colonel  of  the  regiment  and  several  officers  stood  around 
the  stump.  Being  the  last  of  February,  it  was  cold,  and 
hence  I kept  my  overcoat  and  gloves  on  while  I preached  from 
the  text,  “As  he  reasoned  of  righteousness,  temperance,  and 
judgment  to  come,  Felix  trembled.”  There  were  good 
singers  in  that  regiment  who  led  the  singing,  while  I did  the 
rest,  the  service  lasting  forty  minutes.  At  its  close  the 
colonel  invited  me  to  his  tent,  and  to  come  back  to  preach 
next  Sunday,  saying  he  always  wanted  preaching  on  Sunday, 
for  he  could  control  his  men  better,  though  he  was  not  much 
of  a believer  in  religion  himself.  He  was  much  like  the 
steward  on  an  ocean  steamer,  who  on  Saturday  said  he  wished 
me  to  hold  religious  services  next  day,  adding,  as  he  was 
about  to  leave,  “Don’t  make  your  service  too  religious.”  There 
was  another  passenger  on  that  steamer  who  said  that  he  “did 
not  believe  in  machine  religion.” 

After  two  weeks  spent  in  Nashville  I was  transferred  to 
Bridgeport,  Alabama,  where  for  four  weeks  I preached  four 
times  a week,  the  post  chaplain  being  away,  and  walked  sev- 
eral miles  every  day  distributing  hymn-books  and  religious 
newspapers  among  the  different  squads  of  soldiers  who  were 
guarding  munitions  of  war  and  other  property.  While  there 
a squad  of  rebel  prisoners  came,  to  whom  I ministered  the 
same  as  to  our.  soldiers. 


80 


FIRST  MISSION  CHAPEL  IN  AFRIC. 


RUFUS  CLARK  AND  WIFE  TRAINING  SCHOOL 


In  the  Gospel  Ministry 


At  a smallpox  hospital,  fully  two  miles  away,  nearly  fifty 
soldiers  died,  to  which  place  I was  forbidden  to  go.  They 
were  in  a sad  condition,  with  no  surgeon,  only  the  surgeon’s 
steward  visiting  them  every  other  day  to  give  medicine  and 
to  instruct  their  nurses  as  to  what  to  do.  I stole  off  several 
times  and  went  there  and  held  religious  services,  preaching 
several  times  to  the  great  comfort  of  those  soldiers,  some  of 
whose  faces  were  almost  a solid  scab,  but  they  took  in  all  that 
was  said.  Having  had  the  smallpox  two  years  before,  I was 
safe.  I wore  a very  long  overcoat,  which  was  kept  closely 
buttoned  when  there,  and  this  I took  off  before  I got  to  my 
boarding-place,  and  hung  it  on  the  limb  of  a tree  where  the 
wind  and  air  purified  it  ere  I took  it  into  the  house.  It  was 
doing  this  that  gave  me  away,  and  I had  to  quit  going  to 
administer  spiritual  consolation  to  the  suffering  and  dying, 
men  of  that  hospital. 

There  were  names  given  me  by  some  of  the  sick  men, 
which  reminded  me  of  the  following,  reported  by  Rev.  W.  F. 
McCauley  to  a Cincinnati  paper:  “My  predecessor  was  one 
Rev.  Jeremiah  Prophet  Elias  Kumler.  You  think  that’s 
odd?  Well,  listen  to  the  names  of  his  brothers  and  sisters. 
A sister  was  named  Juan  Fernandez  Island  Kumler.  Another 
sister  was  Tierra  Del  Fuego  Kumler,  while  a brother  was 
William  Harold  King  Agrippa  Kumler.  Another  brother 
bore  the  name  Sir  Walter  Scott  Primrose  Kumler.  A 
cleverer  or  nicer  family  than  those  Ivumlers  it  has  not  been 
my  chance  to  meet.  The  minister  always  signed  himself 
‘J.  P.  E.  Kumler.’  ” All  the  Ivumlers  named  were  full  cousins 
to  me,  and  grandchildren  of  Bishop  Henry  Kumler,  who  was 
a member  of  the  first  General  Conference  of  the  Church  of  the 
United  Brethren  in  Christ. 

At  the  annual  meeting  in  May  that  year,  my  annual  report 
said:  “Nothing  of  an  extraordinary  character  transpired 
during  the  year  in  connection  with  our  mission  work,  though 
some  things  were  accomplished  that  are  highly  gratifying, 
among  which  may  be  named  the  payment  of  our  standing 


G 


81 


Fifty-five  Years  of  Active  Life 

debt.  The  treasury  has  no  liabilities  against  it.”  All  were 
very  glad  to  hear  that  statement. 

At  the  General  Conference  which  met  immediately  after 
the  Board  adjourned,  and  of  which  body  the  writer  was  a 
member,  I took  an  active  part  in  bringing  out  the  real  facts 
respecting  one  of  the  bishops  of  the  Church,  who  lived  in  a 
slave  State,  inside  of  the  rebel  lines,  and  whose  loyalty  to  the 
Union  cause  was  suspected.  Reports  had  reached  the  North 
that  he  had  helped  the  Southern  rebellion,  which  he  came 
near  doing,  but  not  in  a censurable  way.  He  had  a son-in-law 
who  was  an  officer  in  the  rebel  cavalry,  who  knew  that  the 
bishop  was  to  hold  a quarterly  meeting  near  where  he  was  at 
that  time.  They  lived  in  the  same  house,  and  the  son-in-law 
wrote  to  the  bishop  that  he  should  ride  a certain  horse  to  that 
meeting  to  leave  with  him,  and  take  back  home  the  one  that 
he  then  had,  as  he  was  lame ; and  he  did  this. 
After  that  and  some  other  things  were  explained,  the 
bishop  passed  without  further  criticism,  and  was 

reelected  bishop  and  served  twenty  years  afterward,  as  he  had 
served  twenty  before,  forty  years  in  all.  Some  of  the  bishop’s 
stanchest  friends  had  said  they  had  no  use  for  any  one  who 
sympathized  with  the  rebellion,  and  it  was  clear  that  he  would 
have  been  defeated  but  for  my  questioning  him  till  he  told  it 
all,  which  he  was  not  inclined  to  do,  and  thought  hard  of  me 
for  pressing  it,  until  it  was  explained  months  afterward. 

. Two  preachers  living  in  a village  in  Butler  County,  Ohio, 
were  members  of  the  Home  Guards.  When  Morgan’s  army 
passed  through  southern  Indiana  into  Ohio,  it  was  thought 
it  would  raid  Hamilton,  and  the  Home  Guards  were  called 
out  to  defend  that  place.  The  two  preachers  rode  to  Hamil- 
ton in  the  same  buggy.  One  said  to  the  other  as  they  neared 

that  city,  “Brother  J , this  is  serious  business  we  are  in 

to-day.”  “Yes,”  said  the  other,  “we  may  be  shot,  and  I would 
not  be  shot  for  all  Hamilton.”  At  the  given  hour  they  reported 
for  duty  and  were  told  that  they  should  return  soon  after 
dinner  and  get  their  arms  and  ammunition.  By  that  time 


82 


In  the  Gospel  Ministry 


word  came  that  [Morgan  had  passed  south  of  Hamilton,  and 
they  would  not  be  needed.  They  returned  home,  but  the 
joke  of  not  being  willing  to  be  shot  for  all  Hamilton  got  out 
on  them,  and  they  were  often  twitted.  Many  years  ago  a 
preacher  had  to  ride  all  day  in  the  rain,  over  corduroy 
roads  and  through  deep  mud,  and  toward  evening  his  horse’s 
foot  got  fast,  and  in  struggling  threw  him  and  his  saddle- 
bags into  the  muddy  water.  He  had  felt  cheerful  all  day, 
but  now  his  clean  clothes  were  wet  and  dirty,  and  he  wet  and 
cold,  and  he  felt  at  first  like  complaining  at  his  hard  lot. 
Just  then  it  came  to  him  that  Satan  was  trying  him,  and 
after  pouring  the  dirty  water  out  of  his  saddle-hags,  he  got 
onto  a log  and  crowed  like  a rooster,  and  said,  “Now,  old 
devil,  you  thought  you  would  make  me  mad  because  of  the 
accident  to  me,  and  in  that  way  spoil  the  meeting  I am  to 
hold  to-night,  but  you  can’t  come  that  game  on  me.”  A man, 
unperceived  by  the  preacher,  was  a witness  to  what  happened, 
and  he  went  to  the  meeting  that  night  and  told  on  the 
preacher.  There  was  quite  a congregation  present,  and  he 
preached  excellently,  and  great  good  was  done,  notwithstand- 
ing rain,  mud,  and  Satan  had  hindered. 


83 


CHAPTER  XVI. 


18G5-66 — Reverses  in  Africa — Misconceptions  of  Good  People — The 
German's  Blander — The  Board's  Endorsement. 

It  will  be  remembered  that  I began  my  ministerial  labors 
the  first  week  of  October,  1850,  and  the  conference  I joined 
always  met  in  August  or  September. 

Unless  I was  at  the  various  conferences  to  plead  for  the 
Board,  they  kept  the  lion’s  share  of  the  missionary  money  for 
their  home  missions.  I often  got  increased  sums  for  the 
Board,  and  kept  the  conferences  from  multiplying  home  mis- 
sions, which,  in  many  instances,  would  have  required  all  the 
missionary  money  collected  by  the  pastors.  This  they  could 
do  up  to  1869,  at  which  time  the  General  Conference  made  it 
obligatory  upon  them  to  give  the  Board  from  one-quarter  to 
one-half  of  their  missionary  money.  I shall  never  forget  the 
sharp  contests  required  to  get  a reasonable  share  of  that 
money  previous  to  1869. 

During  this  year  the  African  mission  had  serious  reverses. 
There  was  no  American  missionary  there,  though  the  Board 
had  done  its  best  to  send  one  or  two  more  missionaries  to  that 
field.  To  the  native  who  was  in  charge,  five  hundred  dollars 
worth  of  goods  and  some  money  were  sent,  to  enable  him  to 
keep  the  school  going  and  to  do  some  preaching.  The  vessel 
upon  which  these  were  sent  was  lost  at  sea.  That  left  our 
native  missionary  so  destitute  that  he  had  to  leave  the  station 
and  go  elsewhere  to  earn  a living,  but  his  wife  remained  and 
taught  the  school.  They  did  well,  considering  the  very  em- 
barrassing circumstances  in  which  they  were  placed. 

These  reverses  brought  serious  criticisms  upon  me,  and  re- 
newed the  old  charge  that  I was  keeping  money  from  our 
home  fields  while  attempting  the  impossible  in  the  helping 


84 


In  the  Gospel  Ministry 


of  negroes  in  Africa.  I had  located  the  mission,  and  had 
earnestly  advocated  its  prosecution,  notwithstanding  the  dis- 
tractions in  the  United  States  growing  out  of  the  war,  and 
the  great  need  of  missionary  work  at  home.  There  were  then 
professed  Christians,  as  there  are  still,  who  cared  little  for 
missions  among  the  heathen,  and  especially  were  they  in- 
different, and  even  opposed  to  missions  among  the  Africans. 

A" ever  shall  I forget  how  a good  brother  of  a sister  church 
hailed  me  on  the  street  in  Dayton,  Ohio,  and  said : “Hello, 
Flic-kinger,  I see  you  are  just  back  from  Africa  again.  I am 
glad  to  see  you,  but  feel  sorry  that  you  are  throwing  away 
your  life  on  niggers,  when  you  might  do  so  much  more  good 
among  whites.  You  have  been  going  to  Africa  for  more  than 
twenty  years,  and  you  ought  to  have  them  all  about  converted 
by  this  time.”  After  looking  at  him  a moment,  and  knowing 
that  he  was  a good  meaning  man,  and  a real  friend  of  mine, 
I said  to  him : “You  Methodists  have  four  or  five  churches  in 
Dayton,  and  the  Baptists,  and  Presbyterians,  and  Lutherans, 
and  United  Brethren  about  as  many  more  each,  and  in  all 
these  there  are  Sunday  schools,  and  prayer-meetings,  and 
preaching  every  week,  and  Dayton  has  had  much  Christian 
work  done  in  it  for  seventy-five  years,  and  yet  it  is  full  of 
sinners,  and  some  of  them  are  no  better  than  the  heathen  in 
Africa,  and  more  guilty  before  God.  Xow,  since  with  all 
these  religious  appliances  in  Dayton  many  of  the  people  here 
are  not  yet  converted,  you  ought  not  expect  the  Africans  all  to 
be  converted  in  so  short  a time.”  He  replied  that  there  were 
some  “niggers”  that  could  not  be  helped  morally  or  religious- 
ly. I admitted  that,  but  said  that  there  were  scores  of  white 
people  in  Dayton  and  elsewhere  who  could  not  be  improved 
either.  They  would  continue  to  be  the  same  lazy,  filthy, 
wicked  creatures  they  were  then,  and  had  been  all  their  lives 
probably.  Just  so  with  some  negroes;  but  about  as  large  a 
proportion  of  them  would  be  benefited  by  Christianity  as  of 
whites.  I reminded  him  of  the  fact  that  the  people  of  western 
Africa  had  about  twenty  centuries  of  heathenism  behind 


85 


Fifty-five  Years  of  Active  Life 

them,  and  that  we  ought  not  to  expect  as  much  from  them  as 
from  Americans. 

I often  think  of  my  little  five-year-old  boy,  who  had  been 
playing  with  other  children,  and  felt  that  they  had  imposed 
on  him.  He  came  to  me  and  said,  “Papa,  they  don’t  treat 
me  right,  and  I would  run  off  and  get  away  from  them  if  I 
knew  where  to  run  to.”  I have  often  felt  that  I would  like  to 
get  away  from  unreasonable  people.  It  is  said  that  an  Irish 
soldier  who  was  charged  with  cowardice  exonerated  himself 
from  blame  by  saying  that  it  was  his  legs  that  refused  to  go 
into  battle. 

My  father  had  a tenant  who  had  recently  come  from  G-er- 
many.  He  became  a Christian,  and  in  social  meetings  would 
often  sing  the  hymn,  “Jesus,  my  all,  to  heaven  is  gone,” 
with  tears  in  his  eyes  and  glory  in  his  soul,  but  he  sang  it, 
“Jesus  my  all  and  heaven  is  gone.”  The  Lord  knew  that  he 
meant  all  right,  though  his  words  were  wrong.  So  I was  con- 
soled often  with  the  thought  that  the  Lord  knew  I meant  it 
right,  when  charged  with  wasting  time  and  money  in  my 
efforts  to  help  Africa.  I am  glad  that  that  kind  of  opposition 
to  Africa  has  about  ceased.  When  a lad  not  over  six  years  of 
age,  at  a meeting  in  my  father’s  house  one  night,  I was  sit- 
ting on  a slab  bench  so  high  that  my  feet  could  not  reach  the 
floor.  The  meeting  lasted  about  two  hours.  As  soon  as  the 
benediction  was  pronounced,  I was  on  my  feet  stretching 
myself,  and  saying  that  I was  glad  it  was  over  with  once 
more.  The  people  laughed  and  my  mother  reproved  me  for 
that  honest  expression  of  mine.  I was  just  as  glad  when  high 
officials  in  the  Church  and  others  ceased  their  unreasonable 
and  unscriptural  opposition  to  the  African  mission.  A 
bishop  and  a very  prominent  layman  nearly  forty  years  ago 
proved  conclusively,  as  they  thought,  that  the  United  Breth- 
ren Church  could  not  support  a mission  in  Africa,  and  that 
Satan  was  prompting  me  to  favor  missions  there  to  the  detri- 
ment of  home  missions.  That  was  published  in  the  Religious 
Telescope. 


86 


In  the  Gospel  Ministry 


The  Board  of  Missions  at  its  annual  meeting  in  1866 
adopted  the  following  paper,  which  gave  me  some  relief  and 
satisfaction : 

“Whereas,  God  has  graciously  preserved  our  mission  in 
Africa  through  all  the  actions  and  burdens  of  the  late  war, 
and  has  blessed  our  labors  there,  making  the  mission  a 
marked  power  for  good  among  the  people,  thus  showing  his 
approbation  of  our  efforts,  therefore, 

“Resolved,  1.  That  we  realize  our  responsibility  as  a Board 
and  Church,  and  we  call  upon  our  people  everywhere  to  give 
more  liberally  of  their  means,  that  we  may  prosecute  that 
work  with  greater  energy. 

“2.  That  our  thanks  are  due  to  the  missionaries  who  have 
sustained  that  mission  during  the  long  years  of  rebellion  in 
this  country,  while  we  were  compelled  to  turn  aside  to  exter- 
minate the  heathenish  institution  of  slavery  in  America.” 

At  that  meeting  the  Board  appointed  Rev.  0.  Hadley  and 
wife  as  missionaries  to  go  to  Africa,  which  was  also  an  en- 
dorsement of  my  course  in  advocating  the  continuance  of  the 
African  mission. 


87 


CHAPTER  XVII. 


1S66-67 — Metallic  Casket — Sample  of  Opposition  to  Foreign  Missions 
— Discouragements. 

Xot  long  before  I went  to  Africa  the  first  time  with  two 
other  brethren,  the  question  was  asked  whether  it  would  not 
be  the  wise  thing  to  take  three  iron,  air-tight  caskets  with  us, 
in  which  our  bodies  might  be  brought  back  to  this  country 
in  case  of  our  death.  It  was  then  believed  that  the  majority 
of  all  who  went  to  western  Africa  died  there.  My  reply  was 
that  I cared  not  what  the  other  brethren  did,  but  I wished  to 
be  buried  where  I died.  If  I died  at  sea,  let  me  be  buried  in 
the  ocean,  and  if  in  Africa,  I would  be  buried  there.  Owing 
to  the  long  years  which  passed  ere  we  had  success  in  Africa, 
the  heavy  burdens  borne,  and  the  severe  criticisms  and  com- 
plaints made,  I have  felt  a few  times  in  my  life  that  I would 
have  been  spared  a great  deal  if  I had  died  the  first  time  in 
Africa. 

In  an  article  in  the  Religious  Telescope,  written  in  reply  to 
an  article  of  mine,  a bishop  of  our  Church  said : “The  com- 
mission £Go  ye  into  all  the  world’  has  been  fulfilled  long  ago, 
and  it  remains  to  be  proven  that  this  command  does  mean 
that  after  a nation  has  become  fully  established  in  the  doc- 
trine of  Christ,  and  then  retrogrades  into  idolatry,  it  should 
be  fulfilled  the  second  time.  Let  the  African  alone,  Ephraim 
has  turned  to  his  idols,  until  God  sees  fit  to  send  men  whose 
calling  will  be  made  plain  to  them  by  the  spirit  of  truth ; such 
will  not  hesitate  to  obey.  I am  fearful  that  the  devil  is  play- 
ing pranks  with  some  of  our  preachers,  so  as  to  make  our 
home  work  less  prosperous.”  Take  the  words,  “Until  God  sees 
fit  to  send  men  whose  calling  will  be  made  plain  to  them  by 
the  spirit  of  truth;  such  will  not  hesitate  to  obey.”  That 


88 


In  the  Gospel  Ministry 


bishop  assumed  that  the  writer,  and  others  who  had  gone  to 
Africa,  had  not  been  called  to  that  work  by  God,  and  that  he 
was  fearful  that  the  devil  was  using  us  and  our  advocacy  of  the 
African  mission  “for  the  purpose  of  making  our  home  work 
less  prosperous.”  I give  some  prominence  to  the  character  of 
the  men  and  the  kind  of  opposition  they  put  in  the  way  of 
the  African  mission,  to  show  how  very  determined  good  peo- 
ple may  be  to  carry  their  ends  and  to  oppose  what  God’s  Word 
so  clearly  teaches  is  our  duty.  A colored  preacher  said  in  a 
sermon  that  unless  the  wicked  repented  and  received  forgive- 
ness of  sin,  they  would  be  forever  lost,  as  sure  as  he  would  kill 
the  fly  then  sitting  on  his  left  hand.  He  struck  and  missed 
it.  But  he  did  not  place  himself  in  a more  awkward  and 
embarrassing  position  than  did  those  opposers  of  the  African 
mission,  especially  those  who  kept  up  their  opposition  until 
great  success  attended  our  work  in  Africa.  A very  few  did 
that  even  afterward  by  denying  the  truth  of  the  good  done 
there,  as  reported  by  our  missionaries. 

A sister,  at  whose  house  I had  been  a welcome  guest  for 
years  and  whose  husband  had  been  my  special  friend,  once 
left  the  church  where  I preached  a missionary  sermon,  and 
went  home  to  get  dinner,  saying  at  the  table,  bv  way  of 
apology  for  doing  so,  that  she  did  not  enjoy  missionary  ser- 
mons and  lectures,  especially  since  there  was  always  some- 
thing in  them  about  our  African  mission,  and  she  had  no  use 
for  negroes.  That  woman  showed  real  pleasure  when  she 
heard  of  the  assassination  of  President  Lincoln.  But  for  her 
being,  in  most  respects,  an  excellent  woman,  though  ignorant 
and  narrow,  she  would  have  been  roughly  handled  by  some  of 
her  neighbors,  who  told  her  never  again  to  utter  words  ap- 
proving Lincoln’s  assassination  or  she  would  be  punished. 
She  took  the  hint  and  talked  less  thereafter. 

Once  at  an  annual  conference  in  Kansas  I preached  one  of 
my  best  missionary  sermons,  at  the  close  of  which  a sister 
said  to  me : “Why  do  you  preach  such  stuff  out  here  in  Kan- 
sas? We  all  know  that  you  can  preach  good  sermons,  as  you 


89 


Fifty- five  Years  of  Active  Life 

used  to  do  when  you  were  our  pastor  in  Ohio.  What  a pity 
you  made  such  a mistake,  for  now  the  people  will  go  away 
cold  and  disappointed,  instead  of  being  shouting  happy,  as 
we  expected  to  be  made  at  the  meeting  to-night.”  No  doubt 
my  missionary  talks  did  keep  back  some  shouting. 

llev.  0.  Hadley  and  wife,  our  missionaries  in  Africa  during 
this  year,  were  much  discouraged,  as  a statement  from  their 
report  shows.  Especially  was  it  so  in  view  of  an  empty  treas- 
ury and  some  debts  which  had  accumulated.  He  wrote: 
“Both  mission  boats  are  unseaworthy,  and  the  mission  chapel 
is  so  badly  eaten  by  bug-a-bugs  that  it  had  to  be  propped  to 
keep  it  from  falling.  We  are  compelled  to  use  the  mission 
residence  for  worship,  and  for  a schoolroom.  We  scarcely 
know  what  to  say  of  the  mission  in  spiritual  things.  We  are 
afflicted  at  the  thought  that  so  little  is  done.” 

Nothing  is  more  discouraging  than  the  want  of  success, 
and  with  such  good  missionaries  on  the  field  as  the  Hadleys 
sending  the  report  they  did,  with  the  opposition  at  home, 
my  load  truly  was  a heavy  one.  I had  a much  esteemed 
friend  who,  though  a very  kind  man,  a good  citizen,  and  al- 
ways ready  to  minister  to  the  needs  and  happiness  of  others, 
was  not  a Christian.  He  and  his  family  had  an  income  suf- 
ficient to  own  a home,  but  they  lived  and  dressed  well  and 
saved  nothing.  One  day  the  question  came  up,  in  the  way 
of  a jest,  as  to  what  this  man  lacked,  or  in  what  he  failed 
to  do  as  he  ought.  The  answer  came  into  my  mind  like  a 
flash,  and  I said  to  him,  “'You  are  neither  laying  up  treasure 
on  earth  nor  in  heaven.”  So  it  seemed  to  be  about  this  time 
that  our  Church  was  neither  converting  sinners  from  the 
errors  of  their  way  in  Africa,  nor  among  the  officials  in 
America.  When  Christians  fully  believe  the  commission  of 
Christ,  “Go  ye  into  all  the  world;  and  preach  the  gospel  to 
every  creature,”  and  when  the  heathen  do  turn  to  God  by 
hundreds,  there  is  encouragement  from  both  ends  of  the  line. 


90 


CHAPTER  XVIII. 


1867-68 — Success  oa  the  Frontier — Church  Erection — An  Iowa  Ex- 
ample— Discouragements  in  Afru  a. 


While  some  discouragements  continued,  there  were  more 
encouraging  features  connected  with  my  work  this  year  than 
existed  during  several  previous  ones. 

The  fact  that  during  this  year  7,000  persons  had  been  re- 
ceived into  the  Church  by  our  missionaries  on  the  home  and 
frontier  missions,  was  used  as  an  argument  against  our 
African  mission,  where  so  few  had  been  induced  to  become 
Christians.  Had  I not  offset  that  argument  by  showing 
that  our  commencing  a foreign  mission  had  greatly  awak- 
ened interest  in  the  cause  of  missions  generally,  and  that 
thereby  we  got  more  money  for  missions  in  the  United  States 
than  ever  before,  that  argument  against  Africa  would  have 
won  many  who  were  friendly  to  it,  or  at  least  not  opposed  to 
it.  I did  show  conclusively  that  Africa  was  attracting  inter- 
est, that  it  had  stimulated  our  people  to  give  more  liberally 
than  they  had  ever  done  before,  and  that  was  one  reason  why 
a considerable  part  of  the  money  collected  for  missions  ought 
to  go  to  Africa.  It  is  a fact  that  as  soon  as  the  Church  went 
abroad  to  preach  the  gospel  her  prosperity  increased  at  home, 
where  she  had  more  money  for  mission  work  than  ever  be- 
fore. 

I had  urged  the  organization  of  a church  erection  society 
for  several  years,  but  it  was  objected  to  on  the  ground  that 
it  was  unwise  to  increase  organizations  requiring  money.  The 
Church  had  in  the  twenty  years  previous  organized  the  Mis- 
sionary Society,  and  the  Sabbath-School  Board,  to  help  desti- 
tute communities  operate  Sunday  schools ; it  had  built  a num- 
ber of  new  colleges,  and  given  considerable  money  to  these  en- 
terprises, and  hence  it  was  said  it  were  better  not  to  have  any 


91 


Fifty-five  Years  of  Active  Life 

more  organizations  at  present.  I did  succeed,  however,  in 
getting  church  erection  organized  at  the  General  Conference 
of  1869.  Though  very  little  was  done  for  some  years,  it  fin- 
ally grew  stronger,  and  helped  to  build  scores  of  houses  while 
I was  yet  its  secretary,  and  it  is  now  helping  to  build  many 
United  Brethren  churches.  Church  erection  and  missions  are 
handmaids  to  each  other,  each  helping  the  other,  and  both 
greatly  aiding  church  growth  in  this  country. 

There  was  one  occurrence  that  I often  told  with  good  effect, 
to  show  how  much  the  Church  lost  by  not  having  a church 
erection  society.  At  an  annual  conference  in  Iowa,  an  itiner- 
ant reported  one  hundred  and  fifty  converts  and  accessions  to 
the  Church  as  the  result  of  a meeting  held  in  a schoolhouse. 
Several  years  afterward  I attended  the  same  conference,  and 
very  naturally  inquired  how  the-  society  had  prospered.  To 
my  surprise  and  chagrin  I was  told  that  there  was  no  United 
Brethren  society  there  then.  An  effort  had  been  made  to 
build  a church  soon  after  the  revival,  but,  the  people  being 
poor  and  much  scattered  in  that  new  country,  it  failed.  The 
pastor  of  another  church,  in  a village  three  miles  from  the 
schoolhouse  in  which  so  many  had  been  saved  and  added  to  the 
United  Brethren  Church,  and  which  they  could  no  longer  use 
for  meetings,  hearing  of  their  failure  to  get  money  to  build, 
told  them  that  there  was  an  organization  in  Boston  which 
furnished  money  to  poor  societies  to  build  houses  of  worship, 
and  that  he  would  get  them  several  hundred  dollars  for  that 
purpose  if  they  would  unite  with  his  church.  They  did,  and 
the  result  was  that  there  was  a thriving  Congregational 
church  built  near  that  schoolhouse.  Had  we  had  a church 
erection  fund  then,  from  which  a few  hundred  dollars  could 
have  been  loaned  for  four  or  five  }rears  without  interest,  as  we 
have  had  since  1869,  we  could  have  saved  over  one  hundred 
and  fifty  members  to  our  Church  at  that  place.  The  good 
thing  in  our  plan  of  helping  poor  societies  to  build  houses  of 
worship  is  that  the  same  money  goes  on  helping  to  build 
churches  while  time  lasts.  Many  societies  have  in  this  way 


92 


In  the  Gospel  Ministry 


secured  houses  of  worship  which  they  could  not  or  would  not 
have  built  without  this  help.  I have  known  a number  of  in- 
stances where  the  promise  of  a loan  of  from  two  hundred  to 
five  hundred  dollars  for  a few  years  stimulated  societies  to 
build  churches,  and  they  afterward  met  all  the  cost  themselves 
without  calling  for  the  money  promised  by  the  Church  Erec- 
tion Society.  Believing  in  these  possibilities  led  me  to  pre- 
pare a constitution  for  a church  erection  society,  and  to 
present  it  to  the  General  Conference  of  1869,  which  adopted 
it.  Being  a member  of  that  General  Conference  enabled  me 
to  work  and  speak  in  behalf  of  church  erection,  which  I did 
freely. 

To  show  my  attitude  to  our  work  in  Africa,  I wrote  to  Rev. 
0.  Hadley,  who  was  then  in  charge  of  that  mission,  to  give 
his  real  opinion  as  to  whether  we  had  better  abandon 
Africa  altogether.  The  reply  was  as  follows:  “I  doubt  if 
there  is  a field  harder  than  this  in  all  the  world.  The  climate 
is  a great  drawback  here.  By  the  time  we  are  prepared  to 
work  we  die,  or  must  go  home  to  recruit  our  health.  Slavery 
and  polygamy  exist  here;  these  breed  caste,  pride,  indolence, 
degradation  and  robbery.  The  want  of  veracity  is  a great 
evil;  I almost  think  they  are  all  liars.  The  mission  has  but 
little  hold  on  them.  They  do  not  feel  that  Christianity  is 
their  religion.” 

After  receiving  this  from  a man  of  good  judgment  and  a 
godly  missionary,  who  had  worked  among  that  people  long 
enough  to  know  them  well,  I was  discouraged  a little,  but  felt 
that  the  only  consistent  course  was  to  prosecute  that  work 
with  greater  energy.  To  abandon  Africa  was  a virtual 
acknowledgement  that  the  gospel  of  Christ  could  not  save 
that  people  from  their  deep  degradation.  The  thing  to  do 
was  to  go  forward  with  the  work,  believing  that  the  gospel 
was  the  power  of  God  unto  salvation  unto  all  nations,  and  in 
due  time  those  who  sowed  bountifully  should  also  reap 
bountifully.  The  members  of  the  Board,  with  one  exception, 
heartily  sanctioned  these  views,  and  by  its  action  put  upon 


93 


Fifty-five  Years  of  Active  Life 


record  its  position,  which  was  not  unlike  the  inscription  put 
upon  the  arch  of  the  gateway  into  a cemetery,  “We  are  here 
to  stay.” 


94 


CHAPTER  XIX. 


1869-70 — Pleading  for  Better  Rules — The  Crisis  in  African  Mission — - 
Thomas  Tucker — "Palaver.’ 

The  declaration,  “Sufficient  unto  the  day  is  the  evil  there- 
of,” is  quite  as  applicable  to  weeks,  months,  and  years,  as  it  is 
to  days,  and  perhaps  more  so,  for  there  are  some  days  when 
very  little  evil  comes  to  one,  but  that  is  seldom  true  of  the 
whole  year.  Several  evils  had  burdened  the  society,  which 
I felt  must  be  removed  this  year,  if  possible.  One  to  be  got- 
ten out  of  the  way  was  the  method  of  dividing  the  money  col- 
lected for  missions.  I believed  it  necessary  to  have 
a rule  adopted  that  would  give  the  Board  of  Missions  a cer- 
tain proportion  of  money  collected  by  the  pastors  for  mis- 
sionary purposes.  I had  urged  that  at  the  General  Confer- 
ences of  1861  and  of  1865,  but  failed  to  get  such  a rule 
adopted.  However,  I felt  that  it  was  right,  and  by  word  of 
mouth,  as  well  as  in  the  Religious  Telescope  and  the  Mis- 
sionary Visitor , I had  shown  that  if  the  Board  of  Missions 
was  to  prosper  such  a rule  must  be  enacted.  In  my  report  to 
the  Board,  which  held  its  annual  meeting  a few  days  before 
the  General  Conference  of  1869,  as  also  in  my  quadrennial 
report  to  that  body,  I showed  clearly  that  the  thousands  of 
destitute  people  in  the  southern  and  western  portions  of  our 
country,  and  the  millions  in  Africa,  were  in  greater  need  than 
any  portions  of  Pennsylvania,  Ohio,  Indiana,  Illinois,  and 
Iowa,  in  which  States  more  than  two-thirds  of  our  missionary 
money  was  expended. 

To  help  to  get  a rule  to  give  a certain  proportion  of  mis- 
sionary money  to  the  Board,  I showed  that  an  average  of  one 
dollar  to  the  member  should  be  collected  bv  the  pastors,  which 
would  have  been  about  twice  the  amount  then  obtained  for 


95 


Fifty-five  Years  of  Active  Life 

missions.  This  was  urged  for  two  reasons ; namely,  that  more 
money  ought  to  be  collected  for  missions,  and  that  by  so  doing 
the  General  Conference  would  more  likely  vote  the  rule  de- 
sired, and  give  the  Board  a larger  proportion  of  what  was 
collected.  This  it  did.  The  rule  worked  so  well  that  it  was 
practised  thereafter  until  two  boards  were  organized  in  1905, 
one  for  home,  and  one  for  foreign  missions.  Nothing  in  the 
Bible  is  truer  than  the  declaration : “There  is  that  scat- 
tered, and  yet  increased ; and  there  is  that  withholdeth  more 
than  is  meet,  but  it  tended  to  poverty.  The  liberal  soul 
shall  be  made  fat:  and  he  that  watered  shall  be  watered  also 
himself.” 

The  rule  adopted  by  the  General  Conference  gave  the  Board 
about  one-third  the  missionary  money  collected  by  pastors. 
The  strong  and  rich  conferences  gave  one-half  of  their  collec- 
tions, and  others  from  one-third  to  one-fourth. 

Another  matter  that  had  given  me  much  concern,  and 
that  I was  determined  should  be  settled  by  the  General  Con- 
ference of  18C9,  was  whether  the  mission  in  Africa  should 
be  prosecuted  in  a way  to  make  it  successful,  or  be  discon- 
tinued. That  question  had  agitated  the  Church  and  caused 
considerable  discussion  for  several  years,  and  I was  tired  of  it. 
The  only  American  missionaries  the  Church  had  there,  Rev. 
0.  Hadley  and  wife,  reached  America  on  the  tenth  of  April, 
after  having  been  in  Africa  less  than  two  years,  and  Mr. 
Hadley  died  the  21st  of  that  month,  just  four  weeks  before 
the  General  Conference  met.  Their  early  return,  his  death, 
and  the  unfavorable  report  they  made  of  the  outlook  in 
Africa,  with  a feeling  among  some  of  our  people  that  we  were 
not  able  to  find  the  missionaries  or  the  money  to  make  that 
work  successful,  made  rather  a strong  case  against  continuing 
that  mission.  Notwithstanding  all  the  opposition  to  its  con- 
tinuance, I used  these  words  in  my  report  to  the  Conference : 
“A  glorious  harvest  of  souls  will  yet  be  gathered  there  by  the 
church  which  will  sustain  laborers  in  that  field.”  After  the 
question  was  discussed  pro  and  con  for  some  time  by  the 


96 


MAKY  SOWERS  GIRLS’  HOME 


REV.  JOSEPH  GOMER  MRS.  JOSEPH  GOME! 


In  the  Gospel  Ministry 


General  Conference,  it  voted  almost  unanimously  not  to 
abandon  it,  but  to  keep  the  way  open  to  prosecute  that  work 
as  soon  as  laborers  and  money  were  available  for  that  pur- 
pose. That  ended  forever  the  question  as  to  whether  we  should 
abandon  Africa. 

Air.  Thomas  Tucker,  one  of  our  first  converts  in  Africa, 
came  to  the  mission  at  Shenge  a nude,  filthy  creature,  and  was 
employed  as  a laborer  at  first,  and  then  foreman  of  laborers; 
also  captain  of  our  mission  boat.  After  a few  years  he  became 
a Christian,  and  then  a minister  of  the  gospel.  One  time  he 
was  sent  with  a boat  up  one  of  the  rivers  to  buy  rice  for  the 
mission.  While  his  boat  was  at  anchor  a marauding  party 
seized  it,  and  were  already  out  in  the  river  with  it  when  he 
came  upon  the  scene.  Though  he  was  naturally  a coward  and 
easily  scared,  and  the  river  was  deep,  he  plunged  into  it  and 
swam  to  where  the  boat  was,  and  put  out  the  three  men  who 
were  making  off  with  it.  He  said  to  them,  “Ah,  you  go 
thief ; this  God  palaver  boat.”  It  was  the  boat  the  mission- 
aries used  in  going  to  preach.  “You  may  fight  and  hurt  me 
if  you  can,”  he  said,  “but  I will  fight  for  mission  boat,  and 
God  will  help  me  keep  it.”  In  due  time  the  boat  came  back 
to  the  mission  with  a good  supply  of  rice,  and  Thomas  was  a 
very  happy  man,  because  he  had  won  so  signal  a victory  over 
those  who  were  themselves  thieves  and  robbers,  and  who  would 
have  killed  him  if  they  dared. 

Having  used  the  phrase,  “God  palaver  boat,”  I wish  to  say 
that  the  word  “palaver”  is  much  used  by  Africans.  One  can 
almost  speak  the  whole  of  the  Sherbro  dialect  with  that  word. 
They  say  “work  palaver,”  “sleep  palaver,”  “eat  palaver,” 
“drink  palaver,”  “good  palaver,”  “bad  palaver,”  and  “sick 
palaver.”  Preaching  is  “God  palaver.”  It  seems  to  mean 
quarreling  primarily,  as  when  they  do  quarrel  they  say  they 
have  “palaver,”  and  when  it  is  a serious  dissention  they  say 
“big  palaver,”  or  “hard  palaver,”  or  some  such  qualifying 
adjective  is  employed. 


97 


CHAPTER  XX. 


1S70-71 — Experiences  With  Tricky  Africans — Negotiations  With 
American  Missionary  Association — Joseph  Gomel- — Headman 
Holds  Service — Germany. 

When  in  Africa  the  first  time  I started  in  a rowboat  to  go 
one  hundred  and  twenty  miles,  having  with  me  five  natives 
for  boatmen.  On  the  second  day  out  I became  so  ill  that  we 
had  to  stop  early  in  the  afternoon  in  an  African  village,  and 
remain  there  till  the  next  morning.  It  was  Saturday,  and 
being  still  sixty  miles  from  my  destination,  I started  quite 
early,  telling  my  boatmen  that  they  must  get  me  to  the  end 
of  the  journey  that  night.  After  all  was  ready  for  starting,  I 
had  all  the  awnings  put  down  in  the  part  of  the  boat  I occu- 
pied to  keep  the  breezes  from  striking  me,  and  this  hid  the 
boatmen  from  me.  The  sound  of  their  oars  seemed  to  be  all 
right,  and  I believed  all  was  going  on  properly.  At  the  end 
of  half  an  hour  I looked  out  to  see  how  far  we  had  gone,  when 
to  my  surprise  the  boat  was  within  one  hundred  yards  of 
where  we  started.  The  boatmen  made  it  up  among  them- 
selves that  they  would  not  get  me  to  the  end  of  my  journey 
that  day,  and  knowing  that  I would  not  travel  on  Sunday, 
they  had  planned  to  spend  the  day  on  an  island  only  three 
miles  away. 

I made  it  lively  for  a time,  and  watched  them,  and  in  less 
than  an  hour  they  were  opposite  the  island.  They  insisted  on 
landing  there,  but  I said,  “Ho.”  Then  they  said,  “Master,  our 
water  to  drink  and  to  cook  with  has  all  been  spilled  out  of 
keg.”  One  man  had  managed  with  his  feet  to  loosen  the 
stopper  in  the  end  of  the  keg,  and  let  the  water  run  out,  so  as 
to  compel  me  to  stop,  hoping  thereby  to  delay  so  long  that  we 
could  not  reach  our  destination  that  day.  They  were  made  to 


98 


In  the  Gospel  Ministry 

fill  the  keg  with  water  as  quickly  as  possible,  and  to  pull  out 
from  the  island,  and  there  was  no  more  stopping  till  the  end 
of  the  journey,  which  was  on  Sunday  morning  at  daylight. 
Such  conflicts  between  laborers  and  their  employers  are  com- 
mon experiences  with  missionaries  in  Africa.  It  is  often  dif- 
ficult there  to  get  others  to  do  a reasonable  share  of  work. 
The  natives  practise  intrigue  and  deception  on  missionaries 
in  many  ways,  as  in  making  regular  strokes  with  their  oars 
without  advancing,  and  in  causing  the  water-keg  to  get  empty. 
This  is  often  annoying,  though  sometimes  amusing,  and  mis- 
sionaries and  others  are  not  unfrequently  made  to  realize  that 
the  cunning  deception  and  carefully-planned  fraud  are 
strong  arguments  in  favor  of  their  being  the  equals  of  white 
people,  especially  in  these  respects,  though  deeply  degraded 
in  many  things. 

Respecting  the  management  of  the  African  mission  in  1870, 
the  following  was  adopted  by  the  Board: 

“Whereas,  The  Executive  Committee  during  the  year  did 
not  see  its  way  clear  to  send  laborers  to  Africa,  nor  are  we 
able  to  do  so  now,  therefore, 

“Resolved,  That  we  will  give  our  property  in  Africa  to  the 
American  Missionary  Association,  with  the  missionary  on  the 
ground,  Rev.  J.  A.  Williams,  until  May,  1873;  also  that  we 
will  give  what  is  needed  to  support  Mr.  Williams  during  the 
period  named/” 

The  secretary  of  the  American  Missionary  Association  and 
I had  had  a meeting  in  Oberlin,  Ohio,  at  the  instance  of  our 
respective  Executive  Committees,  canvassing  the  situation 
and  the  conditions  upon  which  such  a transfer  could  be  made. 
The  last  letter  from  the  secretary  of  the  American  Missionary 
Association  to  me,  received  but  a few  days  before  this  meet- 
ing, contained  the  following : “Our  Executive  Committee  has 
authorized  me  to  complete  any  arrangement  that  can  be  ef- 
fected with  you  that  will  not  involve  increased  expense  to  us, 
which  I think  can  be  done.”  Pending  negotiations  between 
the  United  Brethren  Executive  Committee  and  American 


99 


Fifty-five  Years  of  Active  Life 

Missionary  Association  Committee,  the  sad  news  reached  me 
that  our  native  missionary  in  Africa,  Mr.  Williams,  had  died. 
That  was  only  two  weeks  after  the  above  transfer  to  the  Amer- 
ican Missionary  Association  had  been  considered.  The  effects 
of  this  death  upon  the  Church  was  to  impress  it  that  too  little 
had  been  done  for  Africa,  and  that  instead  of  letting  go  the 
feeble  hold  we  had  upon  it,  we  ought  to  redouble  our  efforts  to 
work  there. 

I had  agreed  to  this  transfer  only  on  the  ground  that  it  was 
the  one  chance  of  retaining  a mission  in  Africa  at  all,  and 
had  been  busy  in  the  meantime  trying  to  find  a suitable  man 
and  his  wife  to  go  to  Africa  to  take  charge  of  our  mission 
there.  I succeeded  in  finding  a good  layman,  a colored  man, 
Mr.  Joseph  Gomer,  and  his  wife,  then  living  in  Dayton,  Ohio, 
whom  I recommended  for  that  work.  The  Executive  Com- 
mittee, however,  were  not  all  willing  to  send  them,  urging  as 
one  reason  that  a minister  ought  to  be  sent.  I then  proposed  to 
accompany  them,  and  remain  with  them  one  year.  The  com- 
mittee deferred  final  action  one  week,  and  then  decided  not  to 
allow  me  to  go,  but  to  appoint  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Gomer.  They 
sailed  from  New  York  to  Africa  in  December,  1870.  The 
thought  that  so  greatly  mortified  me  and  caused  me  to  offer 
my  services  for  a fourth  trip  to  Africa  was  that  I believed  that 
the  United  Brethren  Church  was  as  evangelical  and  spiritual, 
and  had  as  good  a government,  as  any  in  the  United  States, 
and  with  a membership  of  over  100,000  it  ought  to  possess 
enough  foreign  missionary  zeal  to  produce  a missionary  and 
his  wife  to  send  to  Africa,  and  to  furnish  the  money  to  sup- 
port them. 

I often  thought  of  a good  lady  I knew  whose  husband  was 
much  from  home  as  a minister  doing  work  for  God.  She 
always  kept  up  family  worship  morning  and  night,  there  be- 
ing several  grown  sons  at  home,  all  of  whom  were  professed 
Christians  and  who  prayed  in  turns.  These  young  men  had 
been  husking  corn  one  day,  and  at  the  time  for  family  worship 
that  night  were  sleepy.  The  one  whose  turn  it  was  to  lead 


100 


In  the  Gospel  Ministry 


in  prayer  knelt  down,  but  soon  went  to  sleep  on  his  knees, 
with  his  head  resting  on  the  chair.  The  good  mother  was  so 
horrified  that  she  exclaimed,  “God  have  mercy  on  such  pray- 
ing !”  Calling  to  another  son,  she  told  him  to  pray.  The  boy 
by  that  time  was  nearly  splitting  his  sides  laughing  at  his 
brother’s  going  to  sleep  while  trying  to  pray,  and  he  made  no 
effort  to  comply  with  her  request.  Then  the  good  woman 
commenced  praying,- and  did  it  so  penitently  and  earnestly 
that  she  turned  the  sleepiness  and  levity  of  the  boys  into  great 
seriousness  and  regret  at  what  had  happened.  It  became  as 
serious  with  them  as  an  occurrence  did  with  some  people  in 
Africa,  in  a village  where  I often  preached,  not  far  from 
Shenge.  There  was-  a native  missionary  stationed  at  that 
place  several  years.  Once  he  went  away  to  remain  several 
weeks.  The  first  Sabbath  after  leaving,  the  head  man  of  the 
village  told  the  people  that  there  would  be  a meeting  in 
the  barri  as  usual,  and  that  they  must  come.  He  said  to  some 
of  the  boys  and  girls  who  had  been  attending  the  mission 
school  and  could  sing,  that  they  must  lead  the  singing,  which 
they  did.  Then  he  called  upon  a Sierra  Leone  trader  who  was 
stopping  in  the  village,  ordering  him  to  come  to  the  meeting 
to  pray.  He  refused  at  first,  but  the  head  man  told  him  that 
if  he  did  not  come  to  the  meeting  and  pray  he  must  leave  his 
town.  Having  a canoe  and  some  goods  there  that  he  could 
not  move  just  then,  he  concluded  to  comply  with  the  request, 
and  he  went  to  the  meeting  and  mumbled  some  words  of 
prayer.  Then  the  head  man,  who  was  not  a Christian,  at- 
tempted to  preach,  but  it  got  to  be  a serious  thing.  He,  like 
the  man  who  attempted  to  pray,  seemed  to  be  deeply  con- 
victed, and  was  greatly  confused.  The  description  given  by 
one  present  was  that  “they  had  big  God  palaver  there  that 
day.”  What  motive  prompted  the  head  man  to  hold  that 
meeting  we  never  learned,  but  he  never  held  another. 

The  writer  had  for  several  years  favored  opening  a mission 
in  Germany,  for  the  following  reasons:  1.  Because  the 

founder  of  the  United  Brethren  Church  was  a German.  2.  A 


101 


Fifty -five  Years  of  Active  Life 

large  number  of  our  people  and  their  descendants  were  Ger- 
man. 3.  Germany  needed  earnest,  spiritual,  gospel  preach- 
ing. The  Board  of  Missions,  at  its  annual  meeting  in  May, 
1869,  had  consented  to  commence  a mission  in  Germany  as 
soon  as  suitable  missionaries  could  be  found  to  go  there.  Rev. 
C.  Bischoff  and  wife  were  appointed,  and  they  sailed  in  Octo- 
ber, 1869.  They  commenced  work  in  Naila,  Bavaria,  but  as 
all  independent  churches  were  denied  many  privileges  given 
to  the  state  churches,  the  work  was  slow  at  first.  Things  soon 
took  a favorable  turn,  and  before  the  first  year  passed  seventy- 
two  persons  united  with  the  Church.  The  Board  recom- 
mended sending  another  missionary  as  soon  as  practicable, 
which,  however,  was  not  done  for  some  time. 


102 


CHAPTER  XXI. 


1871-72 — “Only  Betsy” — Talking  Money — Chinaman  and  Indian  in 
California — Eucouraging  News  From  Africa. 

My  father  had  a neighbor  who,  in  answer  to  the  question, 
“Is  your  family  well?”  would  reply,  “Yes,  we  are  about  as 
usual,  only  Betsy.  She  keeps  her  workbag  hanging  on  the 
bedpost,  and  takes  out  a new  complaint  every  morning.”  He 
then  would  proceed  to  name  the  particular  thing  his  wife  was 
complaining  of  that  day,  sometimes  neuralgia,  at  other  times 
rheumatism,  or  headache,  or  some  other  affliction.  This  man, 
sitting  in  church  once,  he  on  one  side  and  his  wife  on  the 
other  side  of  the  middle  rail  dividing  the  women  from  the 
men,  went  to  sleep  during  preaching  and  got  to  dreaming,  and 
in  his  dream  he  thought  their  baby  had  fallen  out  of  bed, 
when  he  cried  out,  loud  enough  to  lie  heard  all  over  the  house, 
“There,  Betsy,  the  baby  has  fallen  out  of  bed  again.”  The 
night  before,  this  experience  had  befallen  their  baby,  and  in 
his  dream  the  scene  was  reenacted  in  his  thoughts. 

Well,  I had  some  things  to  complain  of,  too.  I was  troubled 
by  the  tardiness  of  some  pastors  and  their  congregations  in  re- 
sponding to  reasonable  calls  to  help  increase  the  missionary 
money.  I plead  for  a more  aggressive  policy  this  year,  writ- 
ing a good  deal,  both  in  the  Missionary  Visitor  and  the  Be- 
ligious  Telescope.  I also  recommended  the  publication  of 
missionary  tracts,  circulars,  and  collecting  cards  for  free  dis- 
tribution among  our  people,  but  these  suggestions  met  with 
little  favor.  I also  plead  that  something  effective  be  done  to 
secure  money  for  the  Church  Erection  Society,  there  being 
great  need  in  that  department.  As  I was  secretary  of  both 
the  Church  Erection  and  Missionary  societies,  and  the  only 
paid  officer  they  had,  my  hands  were  quite  full  of  work. 

103 


Fifty-five  Years  of  Active  Life 

Notwithstanding  this,  I was  pressed  by  the  managers  of 
Union  Biblical  Seminary,  and  especially  by  the  senior  bishop 
of  the  Church,  to  give  at  least  three  months  to  the  work  of 
soliciting  money  for  that  purpose  in  connection  with  my  other 
duties.  I therefore  attended  all  the  annual  conferences  I 
could,  and  took  subscriptions  for  Union  Biblical  Seminary. 
The  subscription  papers  stated  that  the  amounts  set  opposite 
the  names  of  subscribers  were  to  be  paid  several  months  after 
date,  and  they  were  to  be  duplicated  in  one  year  thereafter. 
The  work  required  to  be  done  was  very  laborious,  owing  to 
the  fact  that  all  names  put  upon  the  subscription  papers  had 
to  be  copied  from  one  to  three  times,  and  a copy  left  with  each 
presiding  elder,  whose  duty  it  was  to  collect  the  amounts  sub- 
scribed and  forward  to  the  treasurer  of  the  Seminary.  The 
original  subscription  book  was  given  to  its  manager.  This 
extra  work  so  seriously  affected  my  health  that  it  took  a whole 
year  to  regain  it. 

In  this  connection  I might  say,  while  on  the  subject  of 
extra  work,  that  a few  years  before  I spent  considerable  time 
collecting  money  for  the  Publishing  House  debt.  During  one 
year  I traveled  a circuit  and  collected  for  the  Publishing 
House  two  hundred  and  fifty  dollars,  paying  in  addition  two 
hundred  dollars  on  the  debt  myself.  With  the  assistance  of  a 
couple  of  pastors  of  Miami  Conference  I did  the  work  of  the 
secretary  at  the  same  time,  all  of  us  working  gratis  for 
the  Missionary  Society.  I received  one  hundred  and  seventy- 
five  dollars  more  salary  on  that  circuit  than  had  been  paid 
previously,  and  collected  over  twice  as  much  missionary 
money.  In  the  previous  quadrennium  I gave  one  week  to 
soliciting  money  to  endow  a chair  in  Otterbein  University, 
the  amount,  five  thousand  dollars,  being  given  by  mv  brothers, 
brothers-in-law,  and  myself.  It  is  known  as  the  Flickinger 
chair  in  Otterbein  University. 

The  old  lady  whose  husband  had  been  a life-long  itinerant 
in  the  United  Brethren  Church,  and  who  was  greatly  inter- 
ested in  a lecture  on  Africa  and  a money  sermon  she  heard  me 


104 


In  the  Gospel  Ministry 


deliver  at  an  annual  conference,  ought  to  be  excused  for  say- 
ing, “Flickinger  has  talked  money  so  much  that  his  mouth 
has  gotten  crooked.”  That  which  caused  me  to  reluctantly  do 
so  much  soliciting  outside  of  my  regular  work  was  the  fact 
that  it  took  away  the  only  leisure  I had  for  reading  and 
study,  which  I much  desired  to  do,  and  felt  great  need  of 
doing,  to  fit  me  for  the  position  I occupied. 

When  in  California,  in  1873,  in  company  with  Bishop  Dick- 
son attending  the  Coast  conferences,  we  were  holding  a woods 
meeting  about  three  miles  from  a railroad  station  and  post- 
office.  One  day  I went  in  a buggy  for  the  mail,  and  was  re- 
turning to  our  stopping  place  when  I overtook  a Chinaman 
who  was  walking,  carrying  an  ax.  I reined  up  my  horse  and 
entered  into  conversation  with  him,  with  a view  of  doing 
some  missionary  work  on  him.  I asked  him  where  he  was  go- 
ing, and  he  replied,  “To  choppe  wood.”  After  some  more 
talk  I told  him  I must  go,  and  that  he  must  be  a good  man 
and  not  steal,  or  lie,  or  drink  whisky,  or  swear.  He  had 
been  very  sociable  and  friendly,  but  now  his  face  became 
serious,  and  with  both  hands  uplifted  he  exclaimed,  “You 
tellee  me  too  muehee  goodee  to  do  all  at  one  time.  Too 
muchee,  too  muehee.”  So  I had  too  muehee,  too  muehee  good 
to  look  after  at  one  time,  and  hence  did  not  always  succeed 
as  I otherwise  would  have  done. 

Some  days  before  that  interview  with  the  Chinaman,  while 
at  the  California  Conference,  Bishop  Dickson  and  I,  having 
our  home  at  the  parsonage,  had  some  washing  done.  The 
woman  came  early  in  the  morning,  bringing  her  husband  with 
her.  They  were  the  finest  looking  Indians  I ever  saw.  It  was 
in  the  month  of  May  and  quite  warm,  and  the  washing  was 
done  out  of  doors,  at  the  rear  end  of  the  parsonage  lot,  under 
the  shade  of  a large  tree.  The  Indian  husband  built  the  fire, 
filled  the  kettle  with  water,  put  up  the  clothes-line,  and  made 
himself  generally  useful  helping  his  wife.  Our  dinner  that 
day  was  eaten  on  the  porch  in  the  rear  of  the  parsonage,  in 
full  view  of  where  that  woman  was  washing.  After  dinner 


105 


Fifty-five  Years  of  Active  Life 

I concluded  to  go  where  she  was  at  work  and  have  a little 
friendly  talk  with  her.  By  way  of  introduction,  I said  that 
the  day  was  quite  warm.  To  this  she  replied  with  a 
guttural  sound  which  was  neither  a grunt  nor  a groan,  mean- 
ing “yes.”  Next  I asked  her  if  she  was  not  very  tired,  and  re- 
ceived the  same  guttural  response;  she  kept  right  on  rubbing 
the  clothes.  Then  I asked  her  where  her  husband  had 
gone,  when  she  stopped  rubbing  and  wiped  the  sweat  off  her 
forehead,  looked  me  full  in  the  face  and  said : “My  old  man  no 
been  here  since  ten  o’clock ; he  go  off  and  lay  down  in  the  shade 
and  sleep;  he  all  the  same  like  white  man ; he  too  much  lazy.” 
There  was  considerable  laughter  on  the  porch,  as  the  pastor 
and  his  family  and  Bishop  Dickson  were  within  hearing.  I 
had  no  more  questions  to  ask  that  woman. 

During  this  year,  owing  to  the  decided  opposition  to  our 
mission  work  in  Germany  upon  the  part  of  the  state  of- 
ficials, we  had  but  little  success  there,  nor  could  a second  mis- 
sionary be  found  to  go  to  that  country,  as  was  directed  by  the 
Board  of  Missions  at  its  annual  meeting  the  year  before.  The 
outlook  was  discouraging.  Against  this,  however,  there  was 
very  encouraging  word  from  Africa,  where  we  had  had  so 
little  success  for  years.  Mr.  Gomer  and  wife  had  received  a 
hearty  welcome  among  the  people,  and  especially  by  the  chief 
at  Shenge.  In  about  five  months  after  he  commenced  work 
there  he  wrote : “Our  meetings  are  well  attended.  Chief 

Caulker  himself  comes  to  them,  and  alloAvs  his  slaves  to  come 
to  Sunday  school.  He  enjoins  on  all  the  observance  of  the 
Sabbath,  has  become  a professed  Christian  himself,  and  urges 
others  to  do  the  same.  The  people  are  very  attentive,  espe- 
cially when  the  chief  speaks  to'  them  in  Sherbro.”  Another 
very  encouraging  thing  was  that  the  Missionary  Visitor, 
which  the  writer  started  in  1865,  with  fears  that  it  would  not 
pay  the  expense  of  publication,  now  had  a circulation  of 
twenty-five  thousand,  yielding  a nice  profit  over  all  expenses. 


10G 


CHAPTER  XXII. 


1872-73 — Two  Remarkable  Providences — The  Answer  to  Mrs. 

Hadley's  Prayer — Unexpectedly  Meets  His  Namesake,  Daniel 

Flickinger  Wilberforce — Growth  of  the  Home  Mission  Work. 

Several  remarkable  events  in  connection  with  my  work 
occurred  during  this  year,  which  I regard  as  special  provi- 
dences. Rev.  J.  A.  Evans  and  Mrs.  Hadley  were  sent  to  re- 
inforce the  African  mission.  I accompanied  them  to  Xew 
York  City  to  assist  in  getting  their  outfit,  and  to  buy  supplies 
for  the  mission.  The  steamer  on  which  they  were  to  sail  was 
to  leave  Xew  York  on  Saturday,  and  we  reached  the  city  on 
Wednesday  night.  On  Thursday  evening  a letter  was  re- 
ceived by  Mrs.  Hadley  from  her  father,  severely  reprimanding 
her  for  going  to  Africa  and  leaving  her  only  child  with  them, 
and  threatening  to  disinherit  her  if  she  did  not  return  to 
them.  It  also  contained  some  rather  uncomplimentary  things 
about  me  for  the  part  I had  taken  in  getting  Mrs.  Hadley  to 
return  to  Africa  as  a missionary.  - 

We  were  stopping  at  a boarding-house  kept  by  a Christian, 
and  after  evening  prayers  Mrs.  Hadley  made  known  her  sad 
plight,  and  asked  counsel  and  the  prayers  of  our  landlord  and 
his  wife,  Mr.  Evans  and  myself.  I had  that  day  bought  tick- 
ets for  the  two  missionaries  to  go  to  Liverpool,  and  to  surren- 
der one  would  be  to  incur  some  loss,  but  I said  I would  do 
that  in  case  she  decided  not  to  go.  However,  I advised  that 
we  think  and  pray  over  the  matter  till  the  next  morning,  and 
then  decide  whether  she  would  proceed  on  her  way  to  Africa 
or  go  home.  Much  of  that  night  was  spent  in  prayer,  espe- 
cially by  Mrs.  Hadley.  With  her  it  was  truly  a time  when 
“weeping  may  continue  for  a night,  but  joy  cometh  in  the 
morning.”  We  all  met  next  morning  at  the  brakfast-table. 


107 


Fifty-jive  Years  of  Active  Life 

when  Mrs.  Hadley,  with  a countenance  full  of  saintliness  and 
a tone  of  cheerfulness,  said,  “I  am  going  to  Africa.  My 
father  had  consented  to  my  going  ere  I left  home,  and  I feel 
God  wants  me  to  go.” 

That  day  was  a very  busy  one  with  us  all,  as  they  were  to 
go  aboard  early  next  morning,  and  I wished  to  leave  for  Day- 
ton,  Ohio,  on  a night  train.  For  a special  reason  I did  not 
leave  New  York  that  Friday  night,  but  went  with  Mrs.  Had- 
ley and  Mr.  Evans  to  the  steamer  next  morning.  The  fare- 
wells had  all  been  said,  and  the  writer  stood  on  the  pier  close 
to  the  gangway,  where  the  man  stood  ready  to  pull  it  aboard, 
when  a servant  from  our  boarding-house  came  running  with 
all  his  might  with  an  envelope  addressed  to  Mrs.  Hadley,  and 
handed  it  to  me.  I at  once  called  to  the  captain  to  get  per- 
mission to  deliver  it  to  Mrs.  Hadley,  which  was  granted,  and 
I ran  to  her.  She  opened  the  envelope  and  read,  “Dear 
daughter,  if  you  ■null  go  to  Africa,  go  with  your  father’s  bless- 
ing.” She  almost  leaped  for  joy,  and  so  did  I at  such  an  an- 
nouncement, coming  in  the  nick  of  time  before  the  steamer 
left.  The  father  had  traveled  eleven  miles  on  horseback  the 
night  before  to  reach  an  office  to  send  that  telegram  to  the 
daughter  whom  he  had  so  severely  criticised  and  threatened 
with  financial  losses  but  a few  days  before.  The  all-night 
praying  upon  the  part  of  that  good  woman  had  moved  the 
hand  that  moves  the  world.  God  relieved  her  of  great  dis- 
tress, and  put  a burden  upon  her  father  that  caused  him  to 
ride  twenty-two  miles  and  spend  some  money  to  send  his 
blessing  to  his  daughter.  Truly  God  hears  prayer,  as  I have 
many  times  realized  in  behalf  of  myself  and  others. 

Another  remarkable  incident  took  place  that  Friday  even- 
ing in  the  rooms  of  the  American  Missionary  Association.  As 
the  United  Brethren  Board  of  Missions  had  no  offices  of  its 
own  in  New  York,  it  made  the  rooms  of  the  American  Mis- 
sionary Association  its  headquarters.  One  room  was  called 
the  “packing-room,”  from  which  the  Association  was  at  that 
time  shipping  large  quantities  of  books,  clothing,  and  provis- 


108 


In  the  Gospel  Ministry 


ions  to  its  missions  among  the  freedmen  in  the  Southern 
States.  The  room  was  in  charge  of  a colored  man,  who  had  a 
boy,  whom  I supposed  to  be  his  son,  to  assist  him  in  his 
work. 

I had  bought,  in  small  parcels,  quite  a number  of  things  to 
go  to  Africa,  all  of  which  were  sent  to  that  packing-room  to 
be  put  into  strong  boxes  or  barrels  to  be  shipped.  As  the  man 
and  boy  had  been  very  kind  and  helpful  to  me  in  getting  my 
purchases  for  Africa  properly  put  into  boxes  and  barrels,  I 
felt  that  I ought  to  show  some  appreciation  of  their  help.  So 
when  I was  about  to  leave  for  the  railroad  station  at  five 
o’clock  that  afternoon,  I entered  into  a short  con- 
versation with  them.  The  man’s  name  was  Jacob, 
and  the  boy  was  called  “Boy.”  After  I had  talked 
with  Jacob . a little  I turned  to  the  boy  and  asked 
him  his  name,  and  he  promptly  answered,  “Daniel  Flickinger 
Wilberforce.”  A clap  of  thunder  from  the  sky  of  that  clear 
day  could  not  have  surprised  me  more  than  to  meet  my  name- 
sake in  New  York,  and  to  think  that  I had  worked  with  him 
two  afternoons  packing  goods  for  Africa,  and  I had  not 
known  it.  To  be  assured  that  there  was  no  mistake  in  the 
matter,  I asked  him  if  he  was  from  Bonthe,  in  Africa,  and 
what  had  brought  him  to  America,  and  when  he  expected  to 
return  to  Africa.  I soon  learned  that  the  boy  was  the  real 
Daniel  F.  Wilberforce,  who  had  been  named  after  me  in 
February,  1857.  I then  got  from  him  the  story  of  why  he 
was  in  New  York.  He  had  come  to  America  as  the  nurse  of 
a sick  missionary  and  his  wife,  who  had  become  so  debilitated 
by  the  African  fever  as  to  need  help  en  route  for  home.  He 
had  spent  several  months  at  the  home  of  the  man,  in  one  of 
the  New  England  States,  and  was  now  awaiting  an  opportun- 
ity to  get  passage  back  to  Africa  on  a sail  vessel. 

I immediately  saw  the  officers  of  the  American  Missionary 
Association,  and  told  them  not  to  send  him  back  to  Africa 
until  they  had  heard  from  me  from  Dayton,  Ohio.  I saw  it 
was  necessary  to  stay  another  night  in  New  York  to  further 


109 


Fifty-five  Years  of  Active  Life 

look  after  the  matter.  The  next  forenoon  1 bought  “Todd’s 
Lectures  to  Young  Men,”  and  had  my  namesake  read  a page 
of  the  book.  I then  completed  arrangements  to  have  him  come 
to  Dayton  to  be  educated,  in  the  event  our  Executive  Com- 
mittee agreed  to  his  doing  so.  He  came  to  Dayton  a few 
weeks  later,  where  he  remained  from  December,  1871,  till 
October,  1878.  In  this  time  he  graduated  from  the  Dayton 
High  School,  and,  soon  after,  he  was  married.  He  went  to 
Africa  and  became  principal  of  the  mission  schools  there,  and 
later  took  charge  of  the  Rufus  Clark  Training-School.  Be- 
fore they  went  to  Africa  he  was  made  a member  of  the  Miami 
Annual  Conference,  and  was  ordained  to  the  office  of  elder  in 
the  church  of  Christ.  His  wife  was  made  mistress  of  the 
Girls’  Home,  at  Shenge,  and  housekeeper.  They  have  four 
children,  two  girls  and  two  boys.  The  eldest  daughter  taught 
the  school  and  itinerated  at  the  town  of  Victoria,  the  head- 
quarters of  Mr.  Wilberforce  from  January  1900  till  1905. 
The  youngest  daughter  attended  school  there,  while  the  two 
sons  were  at  college  fitting  themselves  for  mission  service.  He 
and  his  family  did  valuable  work  for  years. 

These  remarkable  providences,  the  one  which  caused  Mrs. 
Hadley’s  father  to  telegraph  his  daughter,  and  the  one  which 
led  to  calling  a negro  baby  by  the  name  of  Daniel  Flickinger 
Wilberforce,  and  the  remarkable  circumstances  bringing  us 
thus  together,  with  all  that  has  attended  our  labors  in  Africa, 
show  that  God’s  hand  had  been  upon  us  and  the  African 
work. 

I said  in  my  annual  report  to  the  Board  of  Missions,  that 
our  progress  in  Africa  had  been  better  than  ever  before,  sixty- 
three  persons  having  been  baptized,  and  scores  of  others 
awakened  to  their  need  of  salvation.  Chief  Caulker  had  for 
months  professed  faith  in  Christ,  and  lived  a consistent 
Christian  life  until  his  -death,  which  had  occurred  soon  after 
the  previous  meeting  of  the  Board.  To  be  saved  from  a 
heathen  life  at  the  age  of  eighty  years  was  a remarkable 
trophy  of  grace. 


110 


In  the  Gospel  Ministry 


At  that  meeting  I also  gave  a comparative  statement  of 
progress  made  in  the  cause  of  missions  for  the  three  preceding 
years,  which  was  as  follows : “Three  years  ago  there  were  one 
hundred  and  ninety-three  home  missionaries,  eighty-seven  in 
the  frontier,  and  three  in  the  foreign  fields.  These  received 
from  all  sources,  $83,381.80.  The  following  year  there  were 
one  hundred  and  eighty-seven  home  missionaries,  one  hun- 
dred and  three  in  the  frontier,  and  four  iu  the  foreign  fields, 
who  received  $90,334.44.  During  the  year  just  closed  one 
hundred  and  seventy-nine  home  missionaries  were  employed, 
one  hundred  and  fourteen  in  the  frontier,  and  six  in  the  for- 
eign fields,  who  received  $98,781.63.  The  average  salary  paid 
our  missionaries  for  the  last  year  was  $330.39.”  This  was 
the  highest  average  ever  paid  up  to  that  time,  and  for  years 
afterward. 


ill 


CHAPTER  XXIII. 


1873-74 — Church  Erection  Prospering — Sabbath  Schools  Give  83,000 
— Flickinger  Chapel  at  Shenge — Reverses  in  Germany — Some 
African  Experiences. 

This  year  I recall  two  things  in  connection  with  my  work 
that  were  gratifying,  and  one  that  was  saddening.  The  Church 
Erection  Society  began  to  show  signs  of  life,  and  four  weak 
societies  were  helped  to  build  houses  of  worship  this  year.  A 
second  and  highly  gratifying  fact  was  the  way  three  thousand 
dollars  were  raised  for  a church  building  at  Shenge,  West 
Africa.  There  was  great  need  for  a commodious  and  sub- 
stantial house  of  worship  at  that  place,  it  being  the  head- 
quarters of  our  African  mission.  How  to  get  the  money  to 
build  it  was  a question.  The  Missionary  Society  was  already 
in  debt  for  a good  sum,  and  there  were  many  call?  for  money 
for  the  colleges  of  the  Church  and  for  other  Church  enter- 
prises, making  the  outlook  quite  discouraging.  I saw  some 
hope  in  the  Sabbath  schools,  and  got  the  sanction  of  the  Board 
of  Missions  to  appeal  to  our  Sunday  schools  for  money  to 
build  that  church  in  Africa.  I showed  in  the  Church  papers 
how  easily  the  three  thousand  dollars  could  be  obtained  if 
all  the  Sunday  schools  of  the  Church  took  hold  of  it  and  the 
superintendents  took  collections  for  it.  The  ball  rolled  slowly 
at  first,  and  remittances  were  few  and  far  between,  but  we 
kept  it  before  the  schools  until  many  were  induced  by  their 
superintendents  and  pastors  to  take  collections.  These  were 
in  sums  varying  from  twenty-five  cents  to  five  dollars,  but 
the  entire  three  thousand  dollars  were  obtamed,  and  the 
much-needed  house  was  built.  The  size  was  thirty  by  forty- 
five  feet,  the  walls  of  stone  and  the  roof  of  slate.  I dedicated 
it  in  the  spring  of  the  year  1875.  Except  some  seats  and  the 


112 


DANIEL  FLICKINGER  WILBERFORCE 


MRS.  MARY  SOWERS  MRS.  SYLVIA  HAYWOOD 

First  President  of  the  W.  M.  A.  Second  President  of  the  W.  M. 


In  the  Gospel  Ministry 

painting  of  the  woodwork,  it  had  been  finished  and  used  for 
quite  a length  of  time  before.  Arriving  in  Africa  in  the  fall 
of  1874,  I found  the  walls  settling  out  at  the  top,  which  would 
have  ruined  the  house  during  the  next  rainy  season.  I pro- 
cured iron  rods  one  inch  in  diameter,  which  reached  from  cor- 
ner to  corner  near  the  top  of  the  stone  walls,  and  by  this 
means  the  house  was  kept  in  good  shape  for  many  years,  or 
until  the  uprising  in  May,  1898,  when  the  insurgents  partially 
destroyed  it.  It  had  been  used  for  the  schoolroom  for  several 
years,  and  was  much  used  for  meetings,  but  the  war  of  1898, 
which  destroyed  so  many  lives  of  missionaries  and  others,  and 
so  much  valuable  property,  marred  it  a good  deal.  The  house 
was  called  Flic-kinger  Chapel,  so  named  by  Rev.  J.  Gomer, 
the  writer  not  having  been  consulted  in  that  matter.  Soon 
after  the  war  of  1898  it  was  thoroughly  repaired,  and  then 
called  Gomer  Memorial  Chapel,  he  being  buried  near  it. 

Getting  money  from  the  Sunday  schools  of  the  Church  to 
build  that  chapel  did  more  to  create  sympathy  and  enlist  the 
hearty  co-operation  of  our  people  in  behalf  of  the  African 
mission  than  anything  else  for  a long  time.  It  made  it  easier 
to  get  enlarged  contributions  for  Africa,  and  turned  the  at- 
tention of  the  Church  to  that  country  as  never  before.  Often 
“man’s  necessity  is  God’s  opportunity.” 

That  house,  built  near  the  ocean,  often  attracted  the  at- 
tention of  people  sailing  by,  and  reminded  them  of  the  fact 
that  it  was  their  duty  to  love  and  worship  the  God  of  heaven. 
It,  with  our  excellent  mission  residence,  so  easily  seen  from 
passing  vessels,  made  a good  impression  on  man}'  people. 

The  sad  experience  of  this  year  was  in  connection  with 
the  German  mission,  which  had  been  reinforced  by  sending 
another  missionary  and  wife  to  that  work.  Just  before  they 
reached  there  the  missionary  on  the  ground  had  received 
twenty-six  additional  members,  making  about  one  hundred 
in  all  who  had  united  with  our  Church.  It  was  thought  best 
by  the  missionaries  on  the  ground,  soon  after  the  second  one 
reached  the  country,  to  separate  entirely  from  the  state 


8 


113 


Fifty -five  Years  of  Active  Life 

church,  when  only  thirty-five  members  remained  with  us. 
The  state  church  in  Bavaria  subjected  all  who  withdrew  from 
it  to  certain  privations,  respecting  which  the  writer  will  have 
occasion  to  write  again.  The  civil  authorities  after  this  for- 
bade our  missionaries  from  holding  meetings  in  Bavaria, 
which  caused  them  to  go  into  other  places  to  do  missionary 
work.  The  societies  organized  in  Bavaria  still  remained  to- 
gether, and  held  meetings  on  the  sly,  in  such  manner  that  the 
police  could  not  interfere  with  them. 

I made  a great  mistake  in  Africa  once  preaching  on  the 
text  from  John  15:4,  frequently  using  the  word  “vine”  in- 
stead of  “country  rope,”  as  the  natives  name  the  vine.  My 
interpreter  failed  to  understand  the  matter,  and  could  not  in- 
terpret the  word  “vine,”  and  hence  the  real  meaning  of  the 
text  was  lost  to  the  congregation. 

Another  missionary  in  Freetown  and  myself,  on  horseback, 
met  a man  personating  the  devil.  We  were  told  that  we  must 
give  the  road  and  alight  from  our  horses  while  his  majesty 
was  passing.  Instead  of  that  we  put  spurs  to  the  horses  and 
the  man  got  out  of  the  way.  The  Bible  injunction  was  real- 
ized— “Besist  the  devil  and  he  will  flee  from  you.”  There 
were  quite  a number  following  him,  who  also  got  out  of  the 
way  quickly,  and  we  rode  on  as  if  we  had  not  met  his  satanic 
majesty. 

I spent  a night  in  an  African  town,  on  the  Boom  Biver, 
whose  head  man  was  a noted  cannibal.  Only  a few  days  be- 
fore one  of  the  men  of  the  town  lost  himself  in  a grass  field 
near  by.  Grass  fields  there  are  similar  to  our  prairies,  except 
that  the  stalks  of  grass  are  from  eight  to  ten  feet  high,  and 
are  often  half  an  inch  thick.  To  be  lost  in  such  a field,  with 
nothing  to  be  seen  but  the  sky  above  you,  is  much  worse  than 
to  be  lost  on  our  prairies  or  in  the  woods  of  America.  This 
lost  man  wandered  about  all  afternoon  and  night,  and  found 
his  way  back  to  his  town  about  daylight.  Being  tired  and 
hungry,  he  took  a few  palm  nuts  which  were  lying  near  the 
path  which  lead  him  into  the  village.  These  happened  to  b?- 


114 


In  the  Gospel  Ministry 


long  to  the  head  man,  who  had  been  drunk  the  day  before — 
drunk  on  American  whisky.  Feeling  in  bad  humor  that 
morning  he  ordered  the  man  killed,  which  was  done  instantly. 
No  doubt  the  head  man  and  others  ate  him,  for  the  town  was 
notorious  for  cannibalism.  There,  as  in  other  countries, 
alcohol  is  contributary  to  almost  all  the  evils  that  exist.  0 
heathenism,  with  thy  barbarities,  how  terrible  thou  art ! 


115 


CHAPTER  XXIV. 


1874^75 — Hard  Times,  But  Missions  Prospering — German  Editor  on 
the  Tempeiance  Crusade — On  the  Lookout  for  the  Policemen  in 
Germany — Women's  Missionary  Societies — African  Experiences 
— “Big  Devil  in  Pocket.” 

Among  the  events  that  are  very  trying  to  the  secretary  of  a 
missionary  society  are  hard  times,  and  twice  during  my  life  I 
have  experienced  them,  in  1857  and  1858,  and  again  in  1873. 
Being  called  to  the  secretaryship  in  May,  1857,  the  latter  part 
of  that  year  I found  money  was  exceedingly  scarce,  hard  to 
get  under  any  circumstances,  and  well  nigh  impossible  to  get 
as  a loan  for  missions.  Between  these  two  periods  of  financial 
stringency  there  had  been  considerable  debt  against  our  mis- 
sionary treasury  most  of  the  time.  The  appropriations  made 
by  the  board  for  this  year  were  quite  up  to  the  receipts  ex- 
pected, even  if  there  had  been  no  hard  times,  hence  I was  very 
glad  to  be  able  to  write  the  following  in  my  report  to  the 
Board  at  its  annual  meeting  in  1874 : 

“Notwithstanding  the  cry  of  hard  times  common  in  the 
country  during  the  year,  there  has  been  no  decrease  in  money 
to  the  missionary  treasury,  and  all  our  mission  work  has  been 
successful.  Not  less  than  5,000  persons  have  been  converted 
during  the  year  under  the  labors  of  our  missionaries,  and 
most  of  them  have  become  members  of  the  Church.  The  large 
ingathering  of  members  into  the  churches,  and  the  temperance 
revival  in  the  woman’s  crusade  against  the  liquor  traffic  indi- 
cate the  near  approach  of  better  days  for  the  church  of  Christ. 
The  woman’s  temperance  movement  is  essentially  a missionary 
work.” 

I shall  never  forget  an  occurrence  that  took  place  in  the 
hall  of  the  Telescope  office  this  year.  The  editor  of  a German 

11G 


In  the  Gospel  Ministry 

daily  paper,  whose  office  was  near  the  mission  room,  met  me 
as  1 was  going  to  my  office.  He  had  just  come  up  from 
Miamisburg,  where  he  saw  women  going  from  one  saloon  to 
another  and  kneeling  down  in  the  snow  and  mud  and  pray- 
ing for  the  saloonkeepers.  Being  much  excited,  himself  a 
large,  typical  beer  guzzler,  he  said  he  never  saw  or  heard  of 
such  crazy  work.  “They  vere  nice  good  vimmen,  too,  only 
they  had  their  heads  turned  wrong  side  out  by  foolish  dem- 
perance  fanatics.  Yat  you  ting,  nice,  veil-dressed  vimmen 
kneeling  down  before  a saloon  or  going  inside  to  pray ! Got  - 
in  himmel,  vat  for  crazy  work  that  vas  in  this  free  country ! 
Beer  is  good  for  belts,  and  no  use  to  pray  for  to  stop  drinking 
it,  for  ve  Germans  must  have  it.  Demperanee  people  is  fools !” 

And  I am  here  reminded  of  an  experience  in  Germany,  • 
while  I was  filling  the  office  of  both  presiding  elder  and 
bishop  in  that  country.  It  was  in  the  city  of  Hof.  The  serv- 
ice was  held  in  a private  house  standing  about  ten  feet  above 
the  street,  with  the  gable  end  of  the  house  next  to  the  street, 
and  having  two  outside  doors,  one  at  the  side  of  the  house, 
and  the  other  at  the  rear  end.  The  mistress  of  the  house 
during  the  Saturday  evening  services  stood  at  the  door  at  the 
side  of  the  house,  frequently  looking  out  along  the  walk  to 
the  street.  This  was  done  to  see  if  policemen  were  about.  If 
one  had  put  in  an  appearance  she  would  have  made  a sign  to 
the  preacher  to  sit  down.  There  was  no  law  against  people 
sitting  in  meeting  and  singing,  but  to  preach  was  forbidden  in 
all  but  the  state  churches.  On  Sunday  similar  services  were 
held,  after  which  we  all  went  to  the  garret,  and  there  broke 
bread  and  drank  wine  in  memory  of  Christ’s  death. 

This  year  the  writer  obtained  permission  of  the  Board  of 
Missions  to  procure  missionary  boxes  to  be  given  gratis  to 
Sunday  schools  and  families  who  agreed  to  use  them  for  col- 
lecting missionary  money. 

During  the  year  five  more  societies  were  helped  to  build 
houses  of  worship  by  the  funds  of  the  Church  Erection  So- 
ciety. 


117 


Fifty-five  Years  of  Active  Life 

The  business  of  the  Missionary  Visitor  was  transferred 
from  the  Missionary  Society  to  the  Publishing  House  by  or- 
der of  the  General  Conference,  I continuing  to  edit  it,  for 
which  $500  was  paid  to  the  missionary  treasury. 

At  the  meeting  of  the  Missionary  Board  this  year  the  fol- 
lowing action  was  taken : “We  recommend  the  organization 
of  women’s  missionary  societies  wherever  this  is  practicable 
in  the  annual  conferences,  and  if  the  women’s  missionary 
work  should  in  the  future  assume  the  form  of  a general 
church  organization,  this  Board  will  give  it  cheerful  and  sub- 
stantial help.” 

Missionaries  in  Africa  travel  a good  deal  in  rowboats,  and 
sometimes,  to  reach  their  destination  before  the  tide  turned 
against  them,  they  worked  their  boatmen  hard.  It  is  very 
common  there  to  hear  them  say,  “Massa,  we  tired  too  much, 
and  hungry  and  tired  catch  we  all  at  same  time.”  To  make 
my  men  understand  when  water  was  boiling,  I told  them 
that  water  did  not  boil  until  it  jumped,  and  they  must  not 
take  it  from  the  fire  till  it  “jump,  jump  plenty.” 

Soon  after  we  had  our  farm  opened  at  Shenge,  a chief 
came  a considerable  distance  to  see  us  plow.  The  yoke  of 
oxen  which  drew  the  plow  had  one  man  to  drive  them  and 
another  to  hold  the  plow.  The  chief  and  his  attendants  fol- 
lowed quite  awhile,  giving  the  African’s  usual  “aw,”  “ah,” 
“hum,”  and  other  words  of  surprise  at  the  performances.  Fin- 
ally he  could  stand  it  no  longer,  and  he  very  earnestly  de- 
clared that  it  was  wrong  to  make  “cow  root  the  ground,  all 
the  same  like  slave  or  a woman.”  All  cattle  are  called  “cows” 
by  them. 

An  African  mission  girl  about  twelve  years  of  age  took 
the  instruction  given  her  by  the  missionaries  very  liter- 
ally. The  missionaries  had  told  the  children  to  pray  and  ask 
God  for  whatever  they  needed,  and  he  would  bring  good  to 
them  and  keep  evil  away  from  them.  So  this  little  girl  while 
alone  prayed,  and  was  heard  to  say,  “0  Lord,  give  me  plenty 
of  rice  and  fish  to  eat,”  that  being  the  food  they  were  fed  on, 


118 


In  the  Gospel  Ministry 


and  then  she  added,  “Please,  Lord,  give  me  plenty  of  clothes 
to  wear,  and  keep  snake  from  bite  me,  and  make  me  a good 
girl.  Amen.'"’ 

A woman  at  Kotifunk,  in  Africa,  had  an  idol  which  Mr. 
Gomer  and  I much  wished.  She  had  twin  children  and  one 
had  died,  and  she  said  the  soul  of  that  dead  child  was  in  the 
image.  We  offered  her  a big  price,  and,  the  third  day  after, 
she  brought  it,  we  paying  the  price  offered.  In  the  meantime 
she  had  had  another  image  made  like  the  one  she  sold  to  us, 
and  got  the  witch  master  to  take  the  soul  out  of  the  one  we 
bought  and  put  it  into  the  new  image.  As  we  would  as  soon 
have  it  without  a baby’s  soul  in  it,  all  were  satisfied. 

Falling  asleep  in  my  hammock  one  day,  while  my  boatmen 
were  cooking  on  shore,  some  of  the  natives  present  held  a kind 
of  post  mortem  examination  on  me.  They  quietly  pushed  up 
the  sleeve  of  my  coat  to  see  if  I was  white  up  my  arms.  They 
were  surprised  to  find  me  whiter  under  the  clothing 
than  on  my  hands  and  face.  In  the  meantime  I waked  up, 
but  feigned  to  be  sleeping,  to  let  them  go  on  with  their  exami- 
nation. Soon  one  of  them  heard  my  watch  tick,  when  he  be- 
came frightened  and  started  to  run  off,  saying,  “White  man 
have  one  big  devil  in  his  pocket  for  true,  true.”  Calling  them 
I explained  what  the  watch  was  for,  but  they  left,  feeling  it 
was  not  safe  to  be  near  me. 


119 


CHAPTER  XXV. 


1875-76 — -Visits  Africa  and  Germany — Decide  to  Continue  in  Ger- 
many— A Clean  Church  in  Africa — -Saved  From  the  Rocks — In 
Glasgow — Divine  Healing — War  Party  in  Africa. 

This  year  was  one  of  great  privation  and  peril  to  health 
and  life  itself,  and  yet  a year  of  victory.  It  is  with  deep 
emotion  and  thanksgiving  to  God  that  I recall  some  of  the 
struggles  and  sore  trials  through  which  I passed,  and  how 
these  were  blessed  to  my  growth  in  grace  and  an  increase  of 
joy  and  peace  in  the  Holy  Ghost. 

There  were  serious  difficulties  in  the  way  of  our  success, 
both  in  Africa  and  Germany,  which  it  seemed  necessary  to 
more  fully  understand.  This  caused  the  Executive  Committee 
to  ask  me  to  visit  those  missions,  and  spend  as  much  time  as 
would  be  necessary  to  learn  the  real  condition  of  things,  and  to 
suggest  what  to  do  to  remove  the  hindrances  in  the  way  of 
success.  I therefore  sailed  from  New  York,  November  II, 
1874,  and  returned  to  that  city  the  13th  of  May,  1875,  and 
telegraphed  that  I could  not  get  to  Dayton,  where  the  Board 
met  the  same  day,  till  the  15th,  which  caused  the  Board  to 
put  into  its  minutes  the  following:  “Being  unable  to  come 

to  a conclusion  in  regard  to  Germany  and  Africa,  the  com- 
mittee recommends  that  action  with  respect  to  these  fields  be 
deferred  until  Mr.  Flickinger  can  be  present  with  us.” 

While  I was  abroad  there  was  a good  deal  said  in  favor  of 
abandoning  the  Germany  mission,  especially  by  some  minis- 
ters in  the  Ohio  German  Conference,  hence  the  perplexity  and 
doubts  on  the  part  of  the  committee.  The  letters  I had  writ- 
ten respecting  Africa  had  greatly  encouraged  the  Board  and 
the  Church  in  respect  to  that  mission,  and  they  were  favorably 
disposed  to  it.  I told  the  Board  that  I would  just  as  soon  vote 


120 


In  the  Gospel  Ministry 

to  discontinue  Africa  as  Germany.  I had  seen  the  poor  people 
of  Germany  in  their  oppressed  condition,  and  believed  that 
they  needed  to  be  helped  to  a larger  civil  and  religious  liberty, 
and  that  our  Church  ought  to  help  to  do  that  work.  I felt 
deeply  the  humiliation  and  wrong  of  abandoning  Germany 
then,  and  earnestly  pleaded  for  the  continuance  of  the  work. 
The  following  paper  was  then  passed  unanimously:  “We  re- 
gret that  the  laws  of  Bavaria,  Germany,  have  been  enforced 
against  our  missionaries  there,  so  as  to  prevent  them  from 
preaching  the  gospel,  and  we  recommend  that  should  the  ef- 
fort now  being  made  by  our  missionaries  to  secure  permis- 
sion to  organize  our  Church  there  be  unsuccessful,  that  we 
labor  in  Saxony,  or  some  other  part  of  Germany.  Also,  that 
$1,200  be  appropriated  to  that  mission  for  the  next  year.” 
The  following  action  was  taken  respecting  the  mission  in 
Africa : 

“We  have  abundant  reason  to  praise  the  great  Head  of 
the  Church  for  the  success  granted  during  the  past  year, 
and  that  through  all  the  opposition  to  that  work  the  word  of 
the  Lord  was  not  hindered,  and  we  are  more  than  ever  con- 
vinced that  the  Master  desires  us  to  go  forward ; therefore, 

“Eesolved,  1.  That  we  approve  the  changes  made  in  the  work 
by  employing  native  teachers  for  the  schools,  so  that  the  mis- 
sionaries can  visit  the  towns  adjacent  to  our  mission  stations 
to  preach  to  many  who  are  yet  in  great  darkness.  2.  We  are 
thankful  to  God  for  the  completion  of  the  stone  chapel  at 
Shenge,  and  the  country-built  chapel  at  Bompetook,  both 
of  which  were  dedicated  to  the  worship  of  God  by  Mr. 
Flickinger  before  leaving  Africa.  3.  We  approve  the  course 
of  our  secretary  and  the  missionaries  in  organizing  societies 
at  these  places  free  from  polygamy,  slavery,  poroism,  and 
the  liquor  traffic,  and  withholding  membership  from  women 
who  are  wives  of  men  having  other  wives.  4.  That  five 
thousand  dollars  be  appropriated  to  that  mission  for  next 
year.” 

It  should  be  born  in  mind  that  drinking  and  trafficking  in 


121 


Fifty-jive  Years  of  Active  Life 

ardent  spirits  was  no  bar  to  membership  in  other  churches  in 
Sierra  Leone.  Members  of  the  poro,  a very  objectionable 
secret  society,  were  also  admitted  to  membership  by  those 
churches.  To  deny  them  membership  in  our  Church  created 
quite  a stir.  Some  people  who  had  been  prominent  members 
of  the  church  in  Freetown  had  lived  in  Shenge  several  years, 
and  had  been  very  active  in  praying  and  speaking  in  our 
meetings.  Now  that  we  had  organized  a church  there,  it  was 
very  humiliating  to  them  and  trying  to  us  not  to  take  them 
into  our  organization.  They,  and  some  heathen  converts 
who  loved  strong  drink  and  sold  it,  pleaded  earnestly  to 
come  into  the  Church.  We  told  them  they  could  attend  the 
meetings  and  sing,  pray,  and  speak,  but  they  could  not  join 
us  till  they  were  free  from  polygamy,  drinking  rum,  and 
secret  societies.  The  result  was  that  nearly  all  of  them  did 
free  themselves  from  all  their  heathen  evils,  and  united  with 
the  Church  later  on. 

I went  from  New  York  to  Glasgow  on  the  steamer  Vic- 
toria, commanded  by  Captain  Hederwick,  a typical  Scotch- 
man, who  said  grace  at  table.  He  always  shot  it  off  without 
a breath,  using  these  words,  never  more,  never  less,  “0  Lord, 
we  thank  thee  for  this  provision  of  thy  bounty,  pardon  our 
sins  and  accept  us.  Amen  !”  There  was  a kind  providence 
which  prevented  us  from  running  onto  rocks  the  night  our 
captain  expected  to  make  land.  It  was  dark  and  rough,  as 
most  of  the  voyage  was,  and  he  decided  to  slow  down  and 
wait  for  daylight.  When  morning  came  we  were  forty  miles 
farther  north  than  he  thought,  and  among  rocks  so  near  the 
top  of  the  water  that  they  could  be  seen.  It  was  well  he  had 
slowed  down,  or  we  no  doubt  would  have  struck  rocks. 

I went  to  an  ordinary  hotel  in  Glasgow  and  paid  seven  dol- 
lars for  two  days  there,  having  no  extras,  only  meals  and 
bed.  I was  reminded  of  the  meal  a king  in  Germany  had 
ordered,  which  consisted  of  eggs  and  bread,  furnished  by  a 
plain  farmer’s  wife.  When  he  came  to  pay  he  was  asked  an 
enormous  price,  and  the  king  said,  “Eggs  and  bread  must  be 


122 


In  the  Gospel  Ministry 


scarce  here.”  “Oh,  no,”  said  the  woman,  “they  are  not  scarce, 
but  kings  are.”  Flickingers  seemed  to  be  scarce  in  Glasgow. 
Many  fours  were  connected  with  this  trip.  I was  appointed 
to  make  this  trip  November  4,  sailed  from  New  York  the 
14th,  saw  land  first  on  the  Irish  coast  on  December  4,  reached 
my  destination  in  Germany  the  14th,  left  the  24th,  and  all  in 
the  year  1874. 

The  German  names  I had  to  master  was  a task  for  me,  such 
as  Lobenstein,  Wurzbach,  Durrenbach,  Sonfsengrum,  Schoen- 
brumn,  Leehenhuegen,  Eliasbrunner,  Weundarf,  etc. 

I reached  Liverpool  from  Germany  only  two  days  before  I 
sailed  to  Africa,  badly  used  up  with  bronchitis,  and  called  on 
a doctor  to  prescribe.  The  first  thing  the  doctor  said  was: 
“You  are  in  bad  shape,  and  you  had  better  go  back  to  Amer- 
ica. You  will  die  going  to  Africa.”  I replied  that  to  go  to 
America  the  last  of  December  would  be  certain  death,  and  my 
only  hope  was  to  get  into  a warm  climate.  Having  come  from 
Bavaria,  Germany,  on  a cup  of  chocolate  and  a few  crackers, 
and  having  no  appetite  and  a terrible  cough,  my  doctor  put 
me  on  hot  Scotch  whisky,  and  urged  its  free  use.  On  the  day 
of  sailing  he  gave  me  two  pint  bottles  of  Scotch  whisky,  and 
as  much  cough  mixture.  I was  a very  seasick  man,  and 
reached  Africa  much  enfeebled.  I then  procured  and  took  a 
quart  of  cod  liver  oil  with  iron  in  it,  and  at  the  end  of  three 
w'eeks  was  well,  and  did  four  months’  hard  work  ere  leaving 
for  America.  1 believe  in  Divine  healing,  and  experienced 
the  same,  but  through  medicines  that  God  blessed. 

On  board  the  ship  to  Africa  there  was  the  most  inveterate 
talker  I ever  heard.  He  was  told  by  the  other  passengers  that 
he  talked  too  much.  Finally  he  promised  that  he  would  not 
say  anything  for  three  days,  but  early  on  the  second  day  he 
was  pouring  a torrent  of  gabble  into  the  ears  of  others; 
when  reminded  of  the  promise  he  made,  he  replied  that  when 
he  made  that  promise  the  previous  day  he  expected  to  die  that 
night,  or  he  wQuld  not  have  perpetrated  such  a piece  of  folly. 
The  only  time  the  poetic  muse  struck  me  hard  was  on  hearing 


123 


Fifty-five  Years  of  Active  Life 

this  everlasting  talker,  and  I wrote  four  lines  of  poetry, 
which,  fortunately,  I cannot  recall  now. 

While  in  Africa  this  time  a war  party  came  to  Koolong, 
captured  all  the  wives  of  the  head  man  there,  and  his  sister. 
Several  of  these  women  were  members  of  our  Church  at 
-Bompetook,  only  two  miles  from  Koolong.  That  head  man 
and  the  head  man  of  another  town  between  Shenge  and 
Bompetook  came  to  Shenge  for  protection.  We  fed  them 
and  sent  them  away.  Mr.  Gomer,  superintendent  of  the  mis- 
sion, went  to  Koolong,  and  I stayed  at  Shenge,  where  for 
three  nights  I slept  with  an  ax  at  the  head  of  my  bed.  Mrs.  - 
Gomer  and  the  school  girls  were  also  ready  to  defend  them- 
selves, they  keeping  a large  boiler  of  hot  water  to  throw  in  the 
faces  of  an  attacking  party  if  the  occasion  should  arise.  The 
basement  was  full  of  people  from  the  town  of  Shenge,  and  all 
in  a state  of  alarm.  The  war  party  was  finally  disbanded  by 
our  returning  to  them  the  fugitives  whom  they  punished  for 
misdemeanors. 

Going  to  see  the  head  man  at  Tonkoloh,  to  collect  some 
debts  he  owed  the  mission,  he  looked  very  sad.  Inquiring  the 
cause,  he  said,  “Been  have  trouble  too  much.”  Laying  his 
hand  on  his  heart  he  said,  “Trouble,  big,  big  trouble  live 
here.”  He  explained  that  he  had  had  a palaver  with  another 
head  man  and  he  was  worsted,  being  required  to  make  up  a 
large  quantity  of  palm  nuts,  or  be  punished.  Besides,  he  owed 
us  a considerable  sum.  If  a human  countenance  ever  showed 
despair,  his  did  that  day.  Several  of  his  wives  came  to  where 
we  were,  and  I told  them  if  they  all  went  to  work  they  could 
pay  all  their  debts,  and  help  our  missionary  there  to  build  up 
a mission.  Those  heathen  wives  clapped  their  hands  for  joy 
at  the  prospect  of  getting  out  of  debt. 


124 


CHAPTER  XXVI. 


187G-77 — A Mission  for  the  Chinese  on  the  Pacific  Coa.-t — Woman's 
Missionary  Association — Education  of  D.  K.  Wilberforce — John 
Caulker,  the  Mohammedan,  in  Jail — Testing  a Medicine  Man's 
Charms — Tom  Tucker  Orders  Silver  Spoons — Monkeys. 

I once  knew  an  egotistical  German  who  had  the  good  for- 
tune to  make  considerable  money  on  the  sale  of  a lot  of  hogs 
he  had  bought  to  fatten.  When  complimented  on  his  good 
fortune,  he  said  that  he  made  the  money  by  keeping  his  eyes 
open  wide  and  skinned  a little.  Later  on  he  made  another 
venture  and  lost  money.  Then  he  said,  “One  cannot  always 
sometimes  tell  what  the  market  would  be,  whether  hogs  would 
higher  up  go,  or  lower  down  come.”  My  report  to  the  Board 
this  year  shows  that  I had  my  fears  and  misgivings,  but  vic- 
tory came  at  last.  The  report  said  that  no  less  than  seven 
thousand  members  had  been  brought  into  our  Church  the 
past  year  through  the  labors  of  our  missionaries.  Amid  great 
financial  depression  throughout  our  country,  the  receipts  to 
our  treasury  were  in  excess  of  the  previous  year,  but  it  would 
be  well  for  all  to  keep  in  mind  the  fact  that  as  a Church  we 
still  fell  far  below  the  standard  of  liberality  that  God’s  Word 
requires.  I said,  “Your  attention  is  called  to  the  following 
modes  for  increasing  funds:  1.  The  publication  of  well-pre- 
prepared  tracts  showing  the  good  done.  2.  A yearly  budget  of 
news,  facts,  and  general  intelligence  respecting  our  work,  to 
be  read  by  our  pastors  to  their  people.”  I had  insisted  for 
years  on  an  average  of  one  dollar  to  the  member  for  missions, 
and  I felt  sure  that  if  pastors  would  give  the  people  the  neces- 
sary information  in  regard  to  the  world’s  needs,  and  our  duty 
to  supply  them,  as  taught  in  the  Scriptures,  that  standard 


125 


Fifty-five  Years  of  Active  Life 

could  be  reached,  and  it  would  give  the  Board  at  least  twice 
as  much  money  as  it  had,  and  the  Conferences  also. 

The  annual  report  also  had  the  following  respecting  the 
Chinese  mission : “The  opportunity  offered  us  to  give  the 

gospel  to  the  heathen  who  come  to  our  shores,  where  it  can  be 
done  so  much  cheaper  than  to  go  to  China,  ought  not  longer 
be  unimproved.”  The  Board  adopted  the  following:  “We 

look  favorably  to  the  projection  of  a mission  station  at  some 
point  on  the  Pacific  Coast,  with  the  specific  view  of  the 
evangelization  of  the  Chinese,  and  we  recommend  that  the 
corresponding  secretary  ascertain,  as  soon  as  possible,  where 
such  station  should  be  located.”  The  following  was  also 
adopted  by  the  Board:  “Resolved,  That  we  call  the  attention 
of  our  people  throughout  the  Church  to  the  importance  of 
holding  monthly  missionary  prayer-meetings,  for  the  pur- 
pose of  awakening  a deep  interest  in  the  missionary  work,  and 
securing  a more  general  outpouring  of  the  Holy  Spirit  for  its 
prosecution.”  I had  pressed  this  matter  until  the  General 
Conference  put  it  in  the  Discipline  as  a part  of  the  pastor’s 
duty,  and  until  a number  of  places  had  such  meetings.  I re- 
call with  great  pleasure  the  fact  that  Dayton  First  Church  had 
these  meetings,  and  they  were  generally  the  best  of  the  month. 

During  this  year  the  Woman’s  Missionary  Association  was 
organized,  a step  in  the  right  direction,  and  not  taken  any  too 
soon.  The  Church  Erection  Society  helped  to  build  five  new 
houses  of  worship. 

My  namesake  from  Africa  had  been  in  the  high  school  in 
Dayton  a couple  of  years,  and  did  well,  but  up  to  the  preced- 
ing year  little  was  done  to  educate  him  in  music,  some  mem- 
bers of  the  Board  thinking  mission  money  ought  not  to  be 
used  to  teach  music,  and  especially  instrumental  music.  Not 
a few  in  the  Church  were  then  opposed  to  instrumental  music 
in  public  worship.  Quietly  and  carefully  I had  Mr.-  Wilber- 
force  take  some  music  lessons,  but  at  this  annual  meeting  the 
matter  was  discussed  at  length,  and  finally  the  following  was 
adopted  by  the  Board : “That  the  Executive  Committee  con- 


126 


In  the  Gospel  Ministry 


tinue  Daniel  Flickinger  Wilberforce  at  high  school  in  Dayton, 
Ohio,  two  years  longer,  and  furnish  him  such  instruction  in 
vocal  and  instrumental  music  as  would  fit  him  to  teach  the 
same  upon  his  return  to  his  native  land.” 

The  success  and  reverses  of  our  foreign  missions  during 
this  year  brought  some  facts  to  light  which  gave  me  a good 
deal  of  anxiety,  but  all  ended  well.  In  Germany  consider- 
able success  had  attended  the  labors  of  the  lone  missionary 
outside  of  Bavaria,  but  in  Africa  there  was  much  to  impede 
progress.  The  report  of  the  superintendent  of  that  field,  Rev. 
J.  Gomer,  will  tell  the  story.  He  wrote  in  January,  1876 : 
“At  the  beginning  of  the  year  Satan  went  to  work  in  earnest, 
putting  forth  every  effort  in  his  power  to  hinder  the  progress 
of  the  gospel  in  this  field  of  labor.  He  selected  for  his  prime 
agent  John  Caulker,  a Mohammedan,  a very  energetic  and 
daring  man.  Thanks  be  to  God  who  has  given  us  the  victory, 
John  Caulker  and  his  accomplices  are  in  Freetown  jail,  and 
all  their  efforts  to  put  out  the  fire  which  the  gospel  has  kin- 
dled have  only  acted  as  so  much  oil  thrown  into  the  flames.  I 
cannot  describe  to  you  the  effects  produced  upon  the  minds  of 
the  people  throughout  the  country  by  the  capture  of  Caulker 
and  his  war  party  by  the  government  of  Sierra  Leone.  We 
missionaries  and  our  little  band  of  converts  are  filled  with  joy 
and  gladness,  not  because  John  Caulker  is  in  jail,  but  because 
God  is  bringing  good  out  of  this  war.  A number  of  slaves 
have  lost  their  masters,  and  three  masters,  who  are  professors 
of  religion,  have  lost  their  slaves.  Smallpox  has  been  raging 
for  two  months  and  many  have  died.  As  soon  as  they  are 
taken  with  it  they  are  carried  into  the  bush,  or  farm  shed. 
Many  come  from  neighboring  villages  to  attend  worship  at 
Shenge.  I have  received  ten  into  the  Church,  and  nine  into 
the  seekers’  class  during  the  quarter,  and  two  have  died.” 

One  of  the  most  amusing  things  which  occurred  in  Africa, 
just  before  I left  in  1875,  was  the  treatment  some  of  the 
natives  gave  a medicine  man,  who  had  a charm  that  he  said 
would  keep  war  from  coming  to  their  town,  and  that  would 


127 


Fifty-five  Years  of  Active  Life 

keep  everybody  from  hurting  them.  He  was  told  that  if  it 
would  do  that  they  would  pay  him  big  money,  but  before  they 
did  so  they  would  try  it  on  him.  They  then  tied  him  to  a tree 
and  told  him  they  would  flog  him  unless  his  gregree,  or 
charm,  kept  them  from  doing  so,  and  that  he  should  do  his 
best  to  make  it  work.  The  villagers  gave  him  an  unmerciful 
flogging,  and  then  threw  his  charms  into  the  sea.  One  of  our 
missionaries  fished  them  out  and  I brought  them  to  the 
United  States!  I showed  them  often  to  congregations  when 
explaining  the  superstitions  of  the  people  and  how  they  were 
imposed  on  by  witch  masters  and  medicine  men.  The  people 
of  that  village  had  been  enlightened  by  our  missionaries  for 
several  years. 

Another  somewhat  amusing  and  significant  object-lesson 
was  taught  me  by  an  order  I got,  just  before  leaving  Africa, 
from  Tom  Tucker,  then  the  head  man  of  laborers  at  the  mis- 
sion. He  had  come  there  a naked,  ignorant  creature.  He  had 
been  converted  some  years  before,  and  now  appeared  before  me 
well  dressed.  He  gave  me  an  order  for  silver  spoons,  dishes, 
knives  and  forks,  chairs,  bedding,  and  other  articles,  the 
whole  amounting  to  nearly  $100,  to  be  sent  him  from  New 
York.  I said,  “Tom,  you  can’t  afford  these  things,”  but  he 
replied  that  he  could,  and  forthwith  produced  the  money. 
Being  head  man  and  captain  of  the  boat,  he  received  twice  as 
much  wages  as  common  laborers.  “Massa,”  said  Tom,  “I  eat 
biscuit  (meaning  bread  such  as  we  eat),  and  I drink  tea  and 
put  sugar  in  it,  all  the  same  like  a white  man,  and  I sit  at 
table,  and  no  more  eat  with  fingers ; why,  massa,  I done  turn 
white  man,  clear  all  over,  and  must  live,  dress,  and  act  like 
white  man,  so  you  send  these  things  from  New  York.”  I did, 
and  Tom  paid  for  all,  and  enjoyed  sitting  at  a table  to  eat. 

There  were  amusing  experiences  in  Africa  sometimes  when 
rowing  boats  along  the  river.  Monkeys  and  parrots  would 
follow  our  boats,  singing,  chattering,  and  making  all  kinds  of 
noises  in  so  friendly  a way  as  to  make  the  impression  that 
they  were  trying  to  visit  with  us.  The  monkeys  would  jump 


128 


REV.  K.  N.  WEST  AND  WIFE 


IX  AFRICA 


In  the  Gospel  Ministry 

from  tree  to  tree  and  break  off  small  twigs  from  the  branches 
and  throw  them  at  us.  The  parrots  would  make  much  ado, 
whistling,  chattering,  and  singing.  Once  one  of  the  boatmen 
shot  a monkey  in  the  shoulder,  when  it  put  its  other  paw  up  to 
the  wound  and  cried  pitifully,  but  did  not  try  to  run  away. 
The  next  shot  brought  it  down  dead.  I never  allowed  my  men 
to  shoot  monkeys  afterwards,  though  they  loved  to  eat  their 
nice,  sweet  flesh,  which  I never  tasted  but  once,  however. 

African  children  are  usually  easily  governed,  but  we  had 
one  boy  at  Shenge,  about  eight  years  old,  who  was  incor- 
rigible. Whipping  him  and  making  him  work  during  play 
hours  did  not  reform  him  in  the  least.  Mr.  Gomer  concluded 
to  shut  him  up  in  the  basement  of  our  residence,  which  was 
dark  and  used  only  for  mission  supplies.  When  first  put  in  he 
screamed  at  the  top  of  his  voice,  but  after  a while  subsided. 
The  second  time  he  was  put  in  for  the  night  he  did  not  even 
cry,  and  we  wondered  at  the  change.  Next  morning  we  saw 
that  a barrel  of  crackers  had  been  opened  and  a cheese  cut, 
and  considerable  of  both  had  disappeared.  He  had  eaten  his 
fill  and  was  happy.  It  seemed  he  never  was  happy  unless  he 
was  doing  wrong  things,  and  all  efforts  at  reformation  were 
unavailing.  We  sent  him  to  his  mother,  who  was  a widow, 
but  he  went  from  bad  to  worse,  and  was  doing  prison  service 
when  last  heard  from. 


129 


CHAPTER  XXVII. 


1S77-78 — Sold  Stove  to  Attend  Circus — Firmness  in  the  Chair — 
Chinese  Mission  on  the  Coast — Windowless  in  Kentucky. 

As  1876  was  the  centennial  of  the  nation,  many  people 
from  abroad  visited  this  country,  and  spent  considerable 
money  attending  the  exposition  at  Philadelphia,  and  seeing 
other  places  of  interest  in  the  United  States.  Nearly  every- 
body in  this  country  who  could  attend  that  exposition  did  so. 
and  some  used  the  money  that  they  had  formerly  given  to 
missions  for  that  purpose.  Money  given  to  benevolences  was 
decreased,  rather  than  increased  by  the  exposition.  In  some 
instances  people  sold  needed  articles  to  get  money  to  attend 
the  exposition;  not  unlike  the  family  in  southern  Indiana 
some  years  before,  who  sold  their  cooking-stove  to  get  money 
to  attend  Barnum’s  show.  At  a conference  held  in  that 
neighborhood  soon  after,  I delivered  a missionary  address,  in 
which  I said  that  no  doubt  the  congregation  to  whom  I was 
then  talking  had  paid  out  more  money  to  see  Barnum’s  show 
than  they  had  given  to  missions  in  a year.  There  was  present 
a man  who  doubted  the  truthfulness  of  that  statement,  and 
he  investigated  the  matter  far  enough  to  be  satisfied  that  it 
was  true.  That  is  the  man  who  told  about  the  poor  family 
selling  their  cooking-stove  so  that  father,  mother,  and  their 
seven  children  could  all  attend  the  show.  It  is  remarkable 
what  sacrifices  people  make  to  see  curious,  funny  things,  and 
what  excuses  some  professed  Christians  make  for  not  paying 
missionary  money. 

To  help  get  the  United  Brethren  Church  to  pay  an  average 
of  one  dollar  to  the  member,  I favored  the  organization  of  the 
Woman’s  Missionary  Association.  The  opposition  to  that 


130 


In  the  Gospel  Ministry 


movement  from  some  leading  men  in  the  Church,  including 
two  bishops,  a president  of  a college,  and  some  members  of  the 
Board  of  Missions,  like  the  opposition  to  the  African  and 
Germany  missions,  and  the  organization  of  Church  Erection 
Society,  was  not  only  strong,  but  unkind  at  times.  It  was 
truly  said  by  one  of  the  most  aggressive,  efficient,  and  godly 
bishops  the  United  Brethren  Church  ever  had,  referring  to  a 
high  official  in  the  Church,  that  every  railroad  train  had  to 
have  one  or  more  brakemen,  and  every  board  in  the  Church 
had  to  have  one  or  more  members  in  it  to  check  the  speed  of 
the  work  it  was  carrying  forward.  Thank  God,  there  were 
some  courageous,  hard-working  men,  who  believed  that  what 
ought  to  be  done  could  be  done,  and  would  be,  by  proper 
effort,  and  who  were  willing  to  aid  to  the  best  of  their  abil- 
ity. 

One  thing  J had  to  do  when  in  Germany,  in  1876,  was  to 
teach  temperance  to  our  ministers  there.  To  organize  that 
body  into  a mission  district,  and  to  ordain  several  native 
ministers  to  the  office  of  elder,  a minister  of  another  church 
was  called  to  assist.  I demanded  that  they  endorse  the 
United  Brethren  Discipline,  which  teaches  that  the  vending 
and  using  of  ardent  spirits  could  not  be  engaged  in  by  mem- 
bers of  our  Church.  Our  man  in  charge  of  the  mission  and 
the  man  from  the  other  church  were  against  me.  I,  being  in 
the  chair,  told  them  there  could  be  no  organization  and  no 
ordination  without  an  absolute  pledge  upon  their  part  to 
live  up  to  the  Discipline,  and  insisted  that  all  members  of 
the  Church  do  the  same.  The  only  thing  they  could  do  was  to 
make  such  a pledge,  and  the  organization  and  ordination  took 
place. 

In  view  of  all  the  causes  hindering  the  getting  of  money 
for  missions,  I was  cheered  with  the  fact  that  by  bequests  and 
special  gifts  for  the  African  industrial  school  more  money 
came  to  it  and  to  the  treasury  than  usual.  In  my  annual  re- 
port this  year  I reminded  the  Board  that  the  executive  com- 
mittee had  not  found  a man  for  the  Chinese  mission  on  the 


131 


Fifty-five  Years  of  Active  Life 

Pacific  Coast,  and  added  the  following  extract  from  a letter 
written  by  a minister  in  Oakland,  California:  “About  two 

hundred  and  forty  thousand  Chinese  have  come  to  this  coun- 
try, of  whom  one  hundred  and  twenty  thousand  are  yet  here, 
the  others  having  gone  hack  or  died.  They  are  already  so 
numerous  as  to  establish  for  themselves  a complete  social, 
moral,  and  commercial  community  of  their  own  customs,  mor- 
alities, and  religion.  Throughout  California  they  have  their 
temples,  idols,  priests,  and  heathen  rites,  and  are  corrupting 
our  morals,  distracting  our  churches,  and  degrading  the  whole 
class  of  manual  laborers.  Let  us  see  to  it  that  the  results  do 
not  prove  as  evil  as  slavery  did.” 

The  following  from  my  report  to  the  General  Conference 
is  suggestive:  “Our  foreign  mission  work  has  taught  us  the 
highest  form  of  benevolence.  We  give,  expecting  no  return 
save  that  which  accrues  from  the  grateful  acknowledgment 
of  the  saved  heathen;  yea,  without  so  much  as  hoping  to  see 
those  who  are  benefited  by  our  gifts  until  we  shall  meet  them 
before  the  judgment  seat  of  Christ.  It  has  taught  us  another 
valuable  lesson;  namely,  that  it  is  safe  to  engage  in  large 
undertakings  for  God.  He  sometimes  leads  churches  and 
nations  into  places  where  they  are  compelled  to  undertake 
and  accomplish  great  things  or  be  dishonored,  not  to  say  de- 
stroyed. Had  we  known  in  1861,  when  our  late  war  com- 
menced, what  a task  it  would  be  to  crush  the  rebellion,  the 
sacrifice  of  life,  and  treasure,  and  happiness  that  would  be  re- 
quired, we  would  have  despaired  of  saving  our  country,  and 
perhaps  ceased  all  effort.  As  we  got  deeper  into  it  we  realized 
fully  the  fact  that  we  had  to  make  great  sacrifices  to  get  out, 
or  be  hopelessly  disgraced  as  a nation.  In  the  providence  of 
God  we  commenced  a mission  in  Africa  over  twenty  years  ago, 
which  was  then  for  us  no  small  undertaking;  but  it  has 
grown  so  that  it  needs  thrice  the  number  of  laborers  and  five 
times  the  amount  of  money  now  that  it  did  at  the  beginning 
of  the  last  decade.  We  are  so  deep  in  the  work  there  that 
we  must  go  forward  or  be  disgraced  in  the  eves  of  God  and 


132 


In  the  Gospel  Ministry 

men.  The  heathen  there  would  rise  up  in  judgment  and  con- 
demn us  if  we  did  not.” 

Some  people  have  to  be  married  to  missions  on  both  sides 
of  the  county  line,  like  the  man  who  got  his  license  in  one 
State,  and  by  the  thoughtlessness  of  the  minister,  was  mar- 
ried in  another.  The  road  was  the  line,  and  the  house  hap- 
pened to  be  on  the  other  side.  It  was  Sunday  morning,  and  a 
meeting  was  going  on  in.  the  neighborhood,  but  the  pastor 
bethought  himself  and  went  back  from  the  meeting  and  had 
the  couple  walk  across  the  road,  and  he  remarried  them  in  the 
same  State  and  county  in  which  the  license  was  issued.  No 
house  was  there,  and  the  snow  was  on  the  ground,  but  stand- 
ing in  a fence  corner  they  were  legally  made  husband  and 
wife. 

The  writer  spent  three  weeks  in  Kentucky  soon  after  the 
Civil  War.  He  went  to  visit  our  missionaries  and  help  them. 
During  that  time  he  had  some  wearisome  horseback  rides.  He 
preached  in  United  Brethren  churches  and  in  sehoolhouses 
that  had  no  windows,  and  was  in  a new  parsonage  that  was 
without  windows.  It  was  built  of  logs,  twenty  by  twenty-four 
feet,  and  had  a cooking-stove  near  the  one  door  in  it,  and  a 
great  fireplace  not  far  from  the  stove  in  the  end  of  the  house. 
While  the  missionary’s  wife  was  getting  dinner  the  door  stood 
ajar  to  furnish  her  light,  to  my  discomfort,  for  it  was  a cold 
November  day.  In  one  of  our  churches,  about  thirty  by  forty 
feet  in  size,  with  only  one  door  and  a great  fire-place  in  it, 
the  sexton  left  the  door  stand  ajar  till  I had  read  the  Scrip- 
ture lesson  and  my  text.  After  that  the  door  was  shut  and 
we  conducted  the  services  in  the  dark.  There  were  present  a 
large  congregation  on  Sabbath,  but  not  a vehicle  was  in 
sight.  Many  came  horseback.  Farmers  hauled  their  wood, 
fodder,  and  other  things  on  sleds.  The  women,  most  of  them, 
dipped.  To  dip  is  to  have  a nice  smooth  stick  and  some  pul- 
verized tobacco,  and  with  the  stick  the  tobacco  is  rubbed  over 
the  teeth.  Some  also  chewed  tobacco,  and  most  of  them 
looked  sallow  and  unhealthy.  I preached  in  more  than  a 


133 


Fifty-five  Years  of  Active  Life 

dozen  different  places,  and  had  very  good  meetings.  They 
seemed  to  appreciate  the  privilege  of  attending  God’s  house, 
and  heartily  entered  into  the  services. 


134 


CHAPTER  XXVIII. 


1878-79 — Fifth  Wheel  to  the  Missionary  Society — Hon.  Carl  Schurz — 
Advice  to  College  Faculties  and  the  Bishops — Talked  Too  Much 
in  Germany — A Fighting  Man  at  the  Camp-Meeting. 

It  is  said  that  a teacher  of  hygiene  received  the  following 
note  from  the  mother  of  one  of  her  pupils:  “Please  doant 
learn  Johnny  any  moar  about  his  insides,  as  it  makes  him 
sassy.”  I was  charged  with  being  a little  saucy  and  meddle- 
some, and  perhaps  justly,  during  this  year.  Before  reviewing 
these  things  I wish  to  insert  the  following  respecting  church 
erection,  taken  from  my  report  to  the  Board  of  Missions : 
“So  little  has  been  accomplished  in  this  department  of  our 
work,  that  but  for  the  necessity  of  saying  something  I would 
gladly  pass  it  by.  There  have  been  about  fifty  applications, 
requiring  some  labor  and  expense  to  answer  them,  and  only 
four  hundred  and  seventy-nine  dollars  and  ten  cents  were  col- 
lected for  that  purpose  last  year.  We  ought  to  do  more  or 
quit.” 

In  view  of  the  opposition  to  church  erection,  it  was  made 
a fifth  wheel  to  the  missionary  wagon,  its  interests  being  com- 
mitted to  the  Board  of  Missions.  There  were  three  hundred 
and  fifty-seven  missionaries  to  be  provided  for  then,  and 
hence  but  little  could  be  done  for  church  erection. 

During  this  year  I corresponded  with  the  Hon.  Carl  Schurz, 
Secretary  of  the  Interior,  at  Washington,  D.  C.,  asking  recog- 
nition by  the  United  States  Government  for  our  Church,  so 
that  our  Board  of  Missions  might  be  placed  on  an  equality 
with  other  mission  boards  in  recommending  suitable  persons 
to  be  appointed  as  Indian  agents.  I showed  Mr.  Schurz  that 
religious  denominations  smaller  than  ours,  doing  less  mis- 
sionary work  than  we,  were  upon  the  list,  and  that  we  ought 


135 


Fifty-five  Years  of  Active  Life 

to  be  there.  Mr.  Schurz  wrote  that  the  Indian  agencies  had 
all  been  divided  among  certain  denominations,  and  no  new 
division  could  be  made  without  their  consent,  but  possibly  a 
transfer  could  be  made  to  us  by  our  corresponding  with  them. 
I had  more  sense  than  to  undertake  that,  and  nothing  further 
was  attempted. 

I had  given  much  help  in  many  ways  to  the  cause  of  educa- 
tion, and  had  been  a trustee  for  years  of  the  Church’s  prin- 
cipal college,  and  of  its  theological  seminary  for  a time.  I 
wrote  in  the  Telescope  as  follows,  under  the  heading,  “Push 
Things”:  “The  conferences  cooperating  with  our  colleges 

ought  to  send  three  hundred  additional  students  to  Lebanon 
Valley  College,  four  hundred  to  Otterbein  University,  one 
hundred  to  Smithville,  two  hundred  to  Hartsville,  one  hun- 
dred to  Eoanoke  and  Green  Hill  each,  three  hundred  to  West- 
field  and  Western  each,  and  one  hundred  each  to  Shenan- 
doah, Avalon,  Lecompton,  Philomath,  Edwards  Academy, 
and  Elroy  Seminary.  I have  reserved  one  hundred  each  to  be 
ready  for  the  academies  soon  to  be  opened  in  California-  and 
Fostoria.  I insist  upon  it  that  the  faculties  in  our  colleges 
and  teachers  in  our  schools  go  out  among  the  people  soliciting 
students  for  the  institutions  which  employ  them.  Let  the  in- 
scription on  their  banner  be  ‘Twenty-five  hundred  additional 
students  in  United  Brethren  schools.’  ” 

During  this  year  I also  wrote  an  article  under  the  heading, 
“Our  Bishops  and  Missions  Again.”  In  a former  article  it 
was  shown  that  the  bishops  of  some  other  churches,  especially 
the  Methodist  and  the  Episcopal,  were  spending  considerable 
time  holding  missionary  meetings,  and  that  it  ought  not  be 
longer  delayed  by  our  bishops.  As  general  superintendents, 
they  ought  to  give  the  missionary  work  much  attention.  I 
maintained  that  the  growth,  spiritually,  and  liberality  of  the 
Church  would  be  greatly  promoted  by  increasing  missionary 
zeal  among  our  people.  I suggested  that  at  the  approaching 
annual  conferences  arrangements  be  made  for  at  least  one 
missionary  meeting  of  two  days  to  be  held  in  each  presiding 


136 


In  the  Gospel  Ministry 


elder’s  district,  and  all  the  pastors  be  urged  to  attend.  I also 
advised  that  missionary  addresses  be  delivered  on  commence- 
ment days  in  our  colleges,  or  in  baccalaureate  sermons.  I 
said  our  bishops  all  did  work  enough,  but  some  of  it  could  be 
done  as  well  by  others,  who  could  not  do  so  well  in  missionary 
work,  not  being  so  familiar  with  mission  fields  and  their 
needs  as  were  the  bishops,  who  visited  annually  fourteen  mis- 
sion conferences,  and  who  were  members  of  the  Board  of  Mis- 
sions. Their  position  in  the  Church  gave  them  better  oppor- 
tunities for  helping  the  cause  of  missions  than  the  ordinary 
pastor  possessed. 

In  this  article  published  in  the  Church  organ,  I again 
showed  that  there  should  be  at  least  an  average  of  one  dollar 
to  the  member  given  annually  to  missions,  and  that  we  fell 
far  below  that,  and  hence  everybody  from  bishops  down  to 
the  boys  and  girls  in  Sunday  school  should  be  awakened,  and 
their  best  efforts  enlisted  in  increasing  missionary  funds. 

For  writing  such  an  article,  and  for  exhorting  college 
faculties  to  become  solicitors  for  students  for  their  respective 
schools,  I was  severely  criticised  and  censured.  Indeed,  it 
was  hinted  to  me  that  my  mouth  and  pen  should  be  stopped, 
or  something  done  to  cause  me  to  cease  meddling.  It  was  not 
done,  however,  as  effectually  then  as  it  was  once  in  Germany. 
The  presiding  elder  of  the  Germany  district  and  I were  going 
to  a quarterly  meeting  in  a sleigh,  and  were  caught  in  a snow- 
storm. The  snow  lodged  on  my  beard  and  froze.  When  we 
reached  the  hotel  where  we  took  dinner  my  mustache  had 
become  a chunk  of  ice,  closing  my  mouth  effectually,  and  I 
could  not  open  it  until  the  ice  was  thawed  enough  to  pull  it 
off.  While  standing  at  the  stove  warming,  I remarked  to  the 
presiding  elder  that  the  German  Empire  ought  to  have 
twenty-eight  fewer  kings  and  governors,  and  that  these  high 
officials  who  wore  drawing  large  pay  ought  to  take  the  places 
of  the  women  we  saw  that  day  in  the  snow  breaking  stone  on 
the  turnpike  road  in  such  cold  weather.  That  presiding  elder 
told  me  to  be  still,  or  the  police  would  land  me  in  jail  if  they 


137 


Fifty-five  Years  of  Active  Life 

heard  me  talk  that  way.  Thinking  he  was  jesting,  I repeated 
the  remark,  when  he  hurriedly  took  me  to  one  side  and  told 
me  that  nothing  but  my  poor  German  had  saved  me,  for  there 
were  men  there  who  asked  him  what  I said.  It  was  a very 
foolish  thing  on  my  part  to  talk  as  I did.  General  Grant  was 
then  president  of  the  United  States,  and  it  would  have  been 
an  expensive  thing  to  send  an  army  to  Germany  to  get  me  out 
of  jail. 

I attended  a camp-meeting  about  fifteen  miles  from  Cin- 
cinnati, Ohio,  when  about  sixteen  years  of  age,  where,  just 
after  a shower,  three  rowdies  rode  inside  the  circle  of  tents 
and  got  more  than  half  way  around  when  a stone  struck  the 
leader  on  the  side  of  his  head  and  knocked  him  from  his  horse. 
There  was  a preacher  there,  a large  man,  who  had  been  a pro- 
fessional boxer  and  fighter  before  he  was  a Christian,  who  saw 
the  three  men  maliciously  ride  onto  the  ground,  making  it  so 
muddy  that  pedestrians  could  not  get  around  well,  and  he 
slyly  got  behind  a tent  and  threw  a stone  that  brought  the 
leader  to  the  gTOund.  That  preacher  was  the  first  man  to 
speak  to  him,  and  he  said,  “My  friend,  there  is  a minister 
here  who  was  a great  fighter,  and  he  will  pummel  you  men 
good  if  you  don’t  get  away  from  here.”  He  helped  him  onto 
his  horse  and  the  three  left,  swearing  that  they  would  come 
back  that  night  and  break  up  the  camp-meeting,  but  they  did 
not  attempt  it.  It  was  then  about  four  o’clock  in  the  after- 
noon, but  there  was  no  more  disturbance  at  that  meeting, 
which  lasted  three  days.  That  same  preacher,  at  another 
camp-meeting,  where  the  ground  on  one  side  of  the  tents 
slightly  ascended,  caught  a young  man  kicking  the  props  from 
under  the  wheels  of  the  wagons  and  buggies,  causing  them  to 
run  down  against  the  tents.  He  took  him  by  the  back  of  his 
neck  and  the  seat  of  his  trousers  and  carried  him  to  a bank 
close  by  and  pitched  him  down  a declivity  which  was  almost 
perpendicular,  landing  him  about  ten  feet  from  where  he 
started.  That  ended  that  kind  of  pastime  during  the  camp- 
meeting. 


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In  the  Gospel  Ministry 

I was  present  onc-e  at  a meeting  in  a barn  when  a Methodist 
Episcopal  preacher  stood  on  a Windsor  chair.  He  stamped 
his  foot  and  one  of  the  chair  legs  gave  way,  but  he  quickly 
stepped  on  another  chair  close  by,  saying  it  was  not  the  heavy 
theology  that  broke  that  chair,  but  his  “corporosity.”  He 
was  a man  who  weighed  two  hundred  pounds,  and  often  got 
happy  preaching,  and  would  stamp  with  one  foot.  That  time 
he  nearly  toppled. 


139 


CHAPTER  XXIX. 


1879-SO — An  Eventful  Year — Organized  Mission  Districts  in  Germany 
and  Africa — Experiences  in  Germany — Injustice  to  the  Down- 
trodden— Church  Erection  Growing — Sight-seeing  Reserved  for 
Heaven. 

This  year  was  perhaps  the  most  eventful  of  all  the  fifty- 
five  years  of  my  ministerial  life.  I spent  six  weeks  in  Ger- 
many, and  organized  a mission  district  there  December  10, 
1879,  then  went  to  Africa,  spending  many  days  and  nights 
traveling  in  a rowboat,  and  organized  a mission  district  there 
March  20,  1880.  During  my  stay  in  Africa  the  deed  was 
obtained  for  a mission  site  of  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  of 
land  at  Rotifunk  for  the  Woman’s  Missionary  Association. 
That  place  had  been  occupied  by  Miss  Beeken,  and  afterward 
by  Airs.  Mail’,  for  several  years,  and  the  Woman’s  Missionary 
Association  had  shipped  material  to  Africa  to  build  a mission 
residence  there  before  they  had  a deed  for  land  upon  which 
to  build.  Learning  that  Chief  Richard  Caulker  had  prom- 
ised to  call  the  head  men  together  to  sign  a deed,  but  had  not 
done  so,  Mr.  Gomer  and  I went  to  hunt  him,  for  he  had  been 
hiding  away.  We  found  him,  and  got  all  together,  and  had 
the  deed  signed  after  three  days  and  nights  of  great  annoy- 
anee  caused  by  mosquito  bites,  heathen  intrigue,  and  duplic- 
ity. 

Among  the  important  questions  that  I had  to  settle,  both  in 
Germany  and  Africa,  was  how  to  organize  mission  districts 
in  those  countries  with  the  missionaries  who  were  then  em- 
ployed there.  In  Germany  our  superintendent,  Rev.  C.  Bischoff, 
had  taken  into  the  Church  several  ministers  from  other 
churches,  with  only  quarterly  conference  license  to  preach.  In 
Africa  Rev.  J.  Gomer  had  also  employed  several  missionaries  in 
the  same  way.  Xow  the  question  was  as  to  whether  it  would  be 


140 


In  the  Gospel  Ministry 


proper  to  organize  mission  districts  in  Germany  and  Africa 
with  only  one  annual  conference  member  in  each.  There 
were  six  suitable  persons  on  each  field  ready  to  come  into 
such  organization,  and  the  condition  of  the  work  demanded 
that  it  be  done,  and  done  it  was,  putting  both  missions  in  ex- 
cellent shape  to  do  effective  work. 

The  organization  of  the  German  mission  district  had  the 
following  missionaries  as  its  charter  members : Revs.  C. 

Bischoff,  G.  Noetzold,  F.  Holeshuer,  H.  Oehlschlegel, 
G.  Gottschalk,  and  H.  Barkemeyer.  Five  of  these  were  men 
in  the  active  ministry.  There  were  thirty-four  preaching 
places,  and  two  hundred  and  thirty-five  membersj  organized 
into  eleven  classes.  It  will  be  remembered  that  only  five 
years  before  the  Ohio  German  Conference  and  Board  of  Mis- 
sions were  both  ready  to  give  it  all  up. 

Then  it  was  truly  gratifying  to  go  to  Africa,  and  after 
visiting  all  the  preaching  places  there  to  organize  a mission 
district  consisting  of  J.  Gomer,  D.  F.  Wilberforce,  J.  C.  Saw- 
yer, J.  P.  Hero,  J.  W.  Pratt,  and  B.  W.  Johnson.  I will  never 
forget  my  feelings  and  impressions  as  I saw  the  work  taking 
form  in  such  a substantial  way. 

Under  the  heading,  “Farewell  to  Germany,”  I wrote  as 
follows  to  the  Religious  Telescope  December  12,  1879:  “I 

have  spent  six  weeks  upon  your  soil,  coming  when  you  were 
beautifully  green  with  grass,  and  leaving  when  you  were 
frozen  and  white  with  snow.  I have  ridden  on  your  railroads 
nearly  two  thousand  miles,  traveled  in  open  buggy  one  hun- 
dred and  fifty  miles,  in  a sleigh  one  hundred  miles,  and  some 
miles  in  mail  coaches  and  afoot.  I have  seen  many  of  your 
hills  and  valleys.  Your  old  fortresses,  bridges,  churches  and 
residences  I looked  upon  with  admiration,  remembering  that 
three,  four,  five,  and  even  more  hundred  years  ago  the 
identical  stone  floors  upon  which  I stood  in  your  churches 
were  put  there,  as  well  as  the  stone  arches  in  your  bridges, 
and  the  grand  architecture  in  your  fortresses.  I also  saw  the 
entrances  into  many  of  your  beer  and  wine  cellars,  but  did 


141 


Fifty-five  Years  of  Active  Life 

not  enter  them,  nor  allow  their  contents  to  enter  me.  I also 
saw  your  horse,  cattle,  dog,  and  goat  teams,  and,  what  was 
painful  to  me,  your  women  bearing  burdens  which  were  so 
heavy  that  some  other  way  ought  to  have  been  employed  to 
carry  them,  instead  of  the  weaker  sex.  I also  ate  of  your 
black  and  white  bread,  your  soup,  potatoes,  apples,  goose, 
rabbit,  and  beefsteak,  drank  your  coffee,  which  was  good  and 
otherwise,  your  tea  which  you  do  not  know  how  to  make, 
slept  in  your  feather  beds,  mingled  with  your  people  in  their 
residences,  at  public  houses,  and  in  the  sanctuary.  I saw 
much  to  admire  in  your  midst,  but  some  things  to  despise 
and  even  hate.  Your  industry,  economy,  well-raised  children, 
your  courtesy  to  strangers,  your  honesty  and  general  good 
behavior  are  to  be  praised  and  imitated,  but  your  Sabbath 
desecration,  neglect  of  God’s  house,  beer  and  wine  drinking, 
are  to  be  deplored.  The  severe  treatment  of  your  poor,  people, 
especially  the  women,  and  your  unwillingness  to  grant  relig- 
ious liberty  are  to  be  hated,  and  hate  them  I will,  now  and 
forever.  Then  your  cold  railroad  cars  and  unwarmed  churches, 
with  stone  floors  and  three  galleries,  ought  to  be  abolished — 
that  is,  the  cold  ought  to  be  abolished.  There  are  other 
things  you  ought  to  do.  Cease  to  build  such  narrow  and 
steep  stairways  as  to  make  it  unsafe  to  go  upon  them.  Do 
not  put  your  looking-glasses  so  high  up  that  a man  of  ordi- 
nary size  must  stand  on  tip-toe  to  see  his  chin,  and  then  do 
put  them  long  side  up  and  down,  instead  of  sideways,  for 
since  the  days  of  Adam  till  now  there  is  more  length  than 
breadth  to  that  part  of  creation  needing  looking  glasses.  Put 
soap  in  your  bedrooms  in  hotels.  Americans  never  think  of 
ordering  it  when  they  go  to  bed  at  night,  and  many  Germans 
and  some  others  will  not  do  so  to  save  expenses,  hence  many 
get  a poor  wash  in  the  morning.  Farewell,  Germany,  I for- 
give all,  though  I shall  not  forget  two  days  when  snow  froze 
on  my  beard,  forming  ice  an  inch  thick,  and  the  cold  almost 
froze  my  nose.” 

Owing  to  the  great  injustice  done  to  the  down-trodden  of 


142 


In  the  Gospel  Ministry 


America,  and  our  Board  being  denied  a share  in  helping  to 
furnish  agents  to  the  Indians,  as  related  in  a former  chapter, 
the  Board,  at  its  meeting  in  1879,  put  the  following  upon  its 
minutes:  “Resolved,  That  the  unjust  discrimination  becom- 
ing so  general  in  this  country  against  Negroes,  Chinese,  and 
Indians,  is  to  be  deplored.  The  Indians  have  been  forcibly 
deprived  of  their  lands,  and  on  account  of  being  shamefully 
treated  and  outraged,  do  at  times  resent  these  wrongs,  and  the 
Africans,  because  they  were  forcibly  reduced  to  chattels,  and 
have  retained  their  God-given  rights,  are  despised,  misused, 
and  cruelly  wronged,  but  we  are  none  the  less  under  obliga- 
tions to  them,  as  we  are  to  others.  They  bear  the  image  of 
God.  Christ  died  for  them,  and  hence  they  have  claims  upon 
our  sympathy,  benevolence,  and  efforts  for  their  civilization.” 
I also  recommended  again  at  this  meeting  the  publication  of  a 
missionary  quarterly,  and  the  publication  of  tracts  to  be  read 
by  pastors  to  their  people,  and  a plan  to  receive  missionary 
money  in  weekly,  monthly,  or  quarterly  installments.  I 
showed  that  many  could  be  induced  to  pay  five  or  ten  cents  a 
week  who  never  could  pay  five  dollars  at  one  time.  I also 
showed  that  the  Missionary  Visitor,  having  now  a circulation 
of  nearly  forty  thousand,  was  doing  a good  work  for  all  the 
benevolent  institutions  of  the  Church. 

Mr.  Wilberforce,  the  native  African  who  had  been  brought 
to  Dayton,  Ohio,  and  educated  at  the  expense  of  the  Church, 
had  married  well,  and  was  in  Africa  doing  good  work.  The 
Church  Erection  Society  did  better  this  year  than  it  ever  did 
before.  In  all,  forty  churches  had  been  helped,  none  to  large 
sums,  but  enough  to  stimulate  them  to  erect  houses  of  wor- 
ship. This,  considering  the  fact  that  ever  since  the  organiza- 
tion of  the  society,  only  ten  years  before,  it  was  operated  as  a 
side  line,  was  gratifying.  The  treasurer  of  the  Missionary 
Society  had  put  forth  special  effort  during  the  year  in  its 
behalf,  which  helped  to  bring  about  this  cheering  result. 

I was  chided  by  different  persons  for  not  turning  aside  to 
see  the  big  trees  in  California,  and  the  great  sights  in  Ger- 


143 


Fifty-five  Years  of  Active  Life 


many  and  England.  I felt  that  my  time  belonged  to  the  cause 
of  missions,  and  never  could  have  devoted  the  time  to  sight- 
seeing without  neglecting  or  omitting  certain  interests  con- 
nected with  my  work.  To  silence  a person  on  one  occasion 
who  chided  me  for  not  going  out  of  my  way  to  see  the 
pyramids  of  Egypt  and  the  great  things  in  Europe,  I gave 
the  following  answer : “I  expect  to  get  to  heaven  when  done 
with  earth,  and  will  see  more  wonderful  things  there  in  a 
week  than  I could  see  on  earth  in  a year,  and  with  less  fatigue 
and  cost.”  Of  the  nearly  six  hundred  thousand  miles  I have 
traveled,  most  of  them  were  in  the  interest  of  missions.  I am 
quite  sure  that  I was  a happier  man  sticking  to  my  work, 
and  conscientiously  doing  what  I felt  was  my  duty,  than  to 
allow  either  the  flattery  or  censure  of  men  to  cause  me  to 
turn  aside. 


144 


CHAPTER  XXX. 


1880-81 — Transformations  in  Africa — The  Spiritual  Need  of  Germany 
— More  About  Germany — State  Churches — Head-Men’s  Sons  as 
Mission  Boys— Fate  of  the  Boys. 

Xo  wonder  that  a great  American  statesman  said,  “One 
with  God  is  a majority,”  and  that  Martin  Luther  could  say, 
“I  will  go  to  Worms,  though  there  are  as  many  devils  there 
as  tiles  upon  the  housetops.” 

The  tide  had  made  a favorable  turn  in  the  affairs  of  both 
Africa  and  Germany,  though  the  converts  were  less  than 
three  hundred  in  Africa.  Mr.  Gomer  wrote,  just  before  the 
Board  met  in  1881,  “Five  new  members  have  been  received 
into  the  Church  at  Shenge,  and  the  Sabbath  is  well  observed 
here  and  elsewhere  where  our  schools  are  located.  To  com- 
pare ten  years  ago  with  the  present,  it  does  not  seem  like  the 
same  place.  Then  every  farm  had  its  medicine,  and  ever}'  hut 
its  devil-house,  or  sabbe-house.  The  latter  is  where  the  spirits 
of  the  old  people  are  supposed  to  dwell.  Now  there  are  many 
villages  where  none  of  these  things  are  seen.” 

Our  missionaries,  besides  keeping  up  day  schools  and  Sun- 
day schools,  did  a good  deal  of  itinerating  into  neighboring 
towns  preaching  the  gospel.  They  also  had  weekly  meetings  for 
prayer  and  Bible  study,  thus  training  native  converts  for 
teachers  and  preachers.  These  things,  with  the  building  of 
mission  residences,  chapels,  schoolhouses,  procuring  shops, 
managing  farms,  and  building  boats  to  travel  in,  were  a 
heavy  tax  upon  the  time  and  energy  of  missionaries. 

Of  Germany,  I said  in  my  report  that  though  Germany  was 
a land  of  schools  and  learned  men,  there  was  great  need  of 
just  such  mission  labor  as  we  were  doing  there.  The  people 
were  heavily  taxed  to  support  their  civil  and  military  insti- 


10 


145 


Fifty-jive  Years  of  Active  Life 

tutions,  and  it  was  only  by  the  most  rigid  economy  that  the 
poor  could  make  ends  meet,  owing  to  the  low  price  paid  for 
labor.  To  be  required,  under  these  circumstances,  to  pay  for 
building  state  churches,  and  pay  pastors  and  choirs,  had  given 
them  great  disgust  for  their  religious  services,  which  fur- 
nished little  food  for  mind  or  soul.  The  majority  of  the  peo- 
ple never  went  to  church,  except  upon  funeral  or  extraordi- 
nary occasions.  Many  pastors  went  to  beer  houses  to  drink 
during  the  week,  and  when  Sunday  came  most  of  the  people 
went  to  these  places  of  resort,  leaving  the  pastors  to  preach 
to  empty  pews.  I said  that  that  country  needed  our  help  to 
reform  its  drink  habits,  the  desecration  of  the  Lord’s  day,  and 
to  teach  the  people  experimental  godliness.  As  a Church  we 
were  only  repaying  a just  debt  to  Germany  for  giving  us  the 
good  and  great  Otterbein.  We  had  at  that  time  nine  missions 
and  two  hundred  and  ninety-seven  members.  The  people 
there,  though  very  poor,  paid  three  hundred  and  fifty  dollars 
the  previous  year. 

1 will  add  a few  extracts  from  letters  written  in  Germany, 
which  properly  belonged  to  the  previous  chapter : “Geese  are 
important  in  Germany  for  both  their  flesh  and  feathers.  They 
grow  quite  large,  are  good  to  eat,  and  their  feathers  constitute 
the  largest  part  of  the  beds  here.  With  a foot  of  feathers  under 
you  and  half  that  thickness  over  you,  you  can  sleep  com- 
fortably with  the  thermometer  anywhere  from  ze.ro  to  seventy 
degrees  Fahrenheit.  I am  chilly  most  of  the  day,  for  they  do 
not  keep  warm  houses,  and  the  weather  is  cold  and  damp, 
so  during  the  day  I have  chills,  and  at  night  fever.  I am  be- 
ginning to  like  feather  beds  and  goose  meat.  With  one  on 
both  sides  of  you,  and  the  other  in  you,  there  is  danger  of  be- 
coming a little  goosy,  for  which  you  must  make  allowance.” 

“The  prayer  repeated  before  meals  here  is,  “Goti  lob  und 
dank  fur  speise  und  drank."  To  this  they  ought  to  add 
‘federnf  which  would  make  the  prayer  in  English,  ‘God  be 
praised  and  thanked  for  food,  drink,  and  feathers.’  Building 
up  missions  in  Germany  is  a slow  work,  and  carrying  forward 


146 


In  the  Gospel  Ministry 


mission  work  in  Western  Africa,  where  there  is  no  written 
language,  and  where  cannibalism,  slavery,  witchcraft,  por- 
oism,  and  polygamy  exist  in  their  most  horrible  forms,  and 
where  superstition  enters  into  everything,  is  difficult.” 

One  of  our  missionaries  lived  in  Saalfield,  with  whom  the 
writer  spent  several  days.  It  was  here  the  notorious  Tetzel 
at  one  time  held  forth,  proclaiming  to  his  hearers  that  he  had 
the  authority  to  sell  indulgences,  saying  to  them  in  Ger- 
man : 


“Sobald  das  Geld  in  Ivasten  klingt, 

Sobald  die  Seele  in  Himmel  springt.” 

The  English  is: 

“Soon  as  the  rattle  of  money  is  heard  in  the  chest, 

So  soon  will  the  soul  go  to  heaven  and  find  rest.” 

It  is  said  that  a certain  man  bought  several  indulgences 
from  Tetzel,  the  latter  giving  him  liberty  to  do  certain  things, 
and  after  paying  for  them  he  told  Tetzel  he  wanted  to  do 
something  that  he  did  not  wish  to  tell,  and  would  pay  a good 
price  for  permission  to  do  so.  Tetzel  agreed  to  give  him  the 
indulgence,  for  which  the  man  paid  him.  Tetzel  soon  left 
that  place  to  go  to  another  town  to  ply  his  vocation,  and  this 
man  followed  and  overtook  him  in  a lonely  spot,  and  waylaid 
and  beat  him,  and  took  from  him  all  the  money  he  had  paid 
him  and  much  more.  When  Tetzel  remonstrated  and  told  him 
how  wicked  it  was  to  beat  and  rob  him,  he  replied  he  had  paid 
well  for  doing  that  thing,  and  do  it  he  did,  thoroughly. 

While  in  Saalfield  I attended  a quarterly  meeting,  when 
our  congregations,  in  the  pastor’s  house,  numbered  from  thirty 
to  fifty.  At  the  close  of  the  forenoon  meeting  on  Sabbath  I 
went  to  the  state  church,  which  cost  probably  seventy  thou- 
sand dollars,  and  there  I found  eleven  women,  one  old  man, 
the  sexton,  and  the  preacher  delivering  a learned  discourse.  I 
was  told  that  often  only  one-half  that  number  attended, 
though  that  was  the  only  church  in  a city  of  eight  thousand. 


147 


Fifty-five  Years  of  Active  Life 

Three  pastors  were  employed,  they  having  also  several  vil- 
lages to  look  after,  which,  however,  had  no  church-houses, 
nor  were  services  held  in  them.  That  magnificent  church  had 
three  galleries,  and  was  built  during  Martin  Luther’s  time,  he 
having  preached  in  it. 

David  Kosambo  and  Alex  Doomaboy'  were  the  first  mission 
boys  we  received  in  Africa.  Children  were  then  given  to  the 
missionaries  by  their  parents  to  rear,  educate,  and  train  in 
Christian  life  and  work.  Boys  were  required  to  do  whatever 
useful  work  they  were  capable  of  doing,  such  as  bringing 
wood  and  water  and  cultivating  the  ground,  and  girls  were 
taught  household  duties.  When  these  two  boys  came  to  the 
mission  they  had  some  bad  habits,  and  being  sons  of  head 
men  of  towns,  they  were  much  averse  to  work.  They  would 
say  at  first,  “Slaves  and  girls  for  work,  but  not  head  men’s 
boys.”  They  would  steal,  and  look  one  straight  in  the  face 
and  lie.  They  both  learned  rapidly  in  school,  and  were  good 
singers  and  talkers.  In  short,  they  were  smart  boys. 

Before  they  could  speak  English  well  David  was  asked  to 
tell  about  the  Sabbath-school  lesson  for  the  day.  He  said : 
“The  teacher  done  say  that  time  when  Jesus  was  born  there 
were  some  persons  there  for  mind  sheep  and  goats,  and  one 
angel  come.  He  shine  like  sun.  Dem  people  afraid  of  um, 
and  he  say,  T no  come  to  make  you  afraid,  I come  to  bring 
you  glad  tidings  that  a Savior  is  born,’  and. his  mama  put  him 
in  same  place  dem  cow  stay.”  Coming  from  prayer-meeting 
one  night  he  was  asked  what  lesson  had  been  read.  He  re- 
plied: “They  been  read  about  dem  people  who  had  meeting, 
who  had  a gate  dat  dSy  called  beautiful,  and  they  carry  one 
man  that  no  able  walk,  and  put  him  there  to  beg  dem  people 
for  copper  (they  call  all  money  copper),  and  Peter  and  John 
say  to  him,  T no  got  copper,  but  that  thing  we  done  got  we 
give  you ; you  get  up  and  walker,’  and  that  man  began  to 
walker  one  time.”  Onee  I met  Alex  when  he  had  a very  sore 
neck,  and  I said,  “I  pity  you.”  He  at  once  replied,  “Do  you 
pity  me  one  shilling?  If  so,  den  give  it  to  me.” 


148 


In  the  Gospel  Ministry 


David  became  a pronounced  Christian  and  one  of  the  fore- 
most students,  not  only  in  Africa,  but  in  America.  When  he 
had  finished  his  second  year  in  high  school  in  Dayton,  Ohio, 
he  died,  and  had  one  of  the  largest  funerals  ever  witnessed 
in  that  city.  The  principal  of  the  Dayton  high  school  said 
at  his  funeral  that  he  had  never  known  a better-balanced 
mind  than  David's,  for  he  excelled  in  all  branches  of  study, 
including  music.  He  was  greatly  interested  in  his  people,  and 
was  qualifying  himself  to  go  to  Africa  as  a missionary  when 
God  took  him  to  heaven.  Alexander  received  as  good  an 
education  in  Africa  as  could  be  given  in  the  Clark  Training 
School,  and  became  a teacher.  Though  a professed  Christian, 
he  Mas  not  free  from  sins  common  to  Africans  in  that  coun- 
try, and  little  by  little  drifted  into  rebellion  against  God  and 
the  Sierra  Leone  government.  He  took  part  in  the  insurrec- 
tion of  1898,  which  destroyed  many  valuable  lives,  and  he 
M-as  convicted  and  hung  with  many  others  for  taking  part  in 
that  wicked  rebellion. 

After  I left  Africa  in  1887,  that  young  man  wrote  the  fol- 
lowing to  the  Religious  Telescope,  under  heading,  “Farewell 
to  Bishop  Flickinger”:  “Four  months  ago  we  welcomed  our 
indefatigable  Bishop,  Dr.  D.  Iv.  Flickinger,  to  Shenge  again. 
His  stay  among  us  has  been  a pleasant  one.  Three  days  ago, 
on  the  evening  of  the  30th  of  March,  1887,  our  dear  Bishop 
bid  us  good-by,  and  hence  I say  farewell  to  the  Doctor  across 
the  waters.  He  has  always  been  a friend  to  me,  for  I was  the 
second  boy  taken  into  the  mission  in  1873,  being  then  four 
and  a half  years  old.  I am  happy  to  tell  you  that  the  Bishop 
has  built  a nice  tomb  over  Mr.  Thomas  Tucker’s  grave.  I 
M’onder  if  I shall  see  him  again;  but  whether  I see  him  or 
not,  1 hope  God  will  go  with  him.  So  farewell,  our  dear,  dear 
Bishop.” 

Among  the  many  good  things  connected  with  our  mission 
work  in  the  United  States  was  the  establishing  of  many  new 
Sunday  schools.  From  the  organization  of  the  board  in  May, 
18o3,  just  twenty-eight  years  previously,  there  had  been  no 


149 


Fifty-jive  Years  of  Active  Life 

less  than  one  hundred  and  fifteen  thousand  members  received 
into  the  Church  through  the  labors  of  our  missionaries,  at  an 
average  cost  of  not  to  exceed  ten  dollars,  and  for  every  fifteen 
dollars  of  missionary  money  expended  one  soul  was  led  to 
Christ. 


150 


CHAPTER  XXXI. 


1881-82 — Visits  Africa  Again — A Circle  of  Mission  Sites — Industrial 
Training — Stingy  Men — Rejoicing  Over  Success — Experiences  on 
a Rough  Sea  Voyage — Collision  at  Sea — French  Infidel. 

Owing  to  the  fact  that  important  matters  needed  to  be 
looked  after  in  Africa,  I was  requested  by  the  Executive  Com- 
mittee of  the  Mission  Board  to  visit  that  country  again. 
Starting  December  1,  1881,  in  a sail  vessel,  I returned  on  the 
same  vessel,  May  24,  1882.  Rev.  J.  Gomer  and  wife,  having 
completed  their  second  term  of  five  years  of  service  as  mis- 
sionaries in  Africa,  came  to  the  United  States  with  me.  All 
were  present  at  the  annual  meeting  of  the  Board,  which  met 
in  Lebanon,  Pennsylvania,  May  26th,  1882. 

The  year  had  been  a prosperous  one  in  Africa,  especially  in 
the  way  of  enlarging  the  work  there.  The  chief  of  the  Sher- 
bro  country,  Mr.  George  Caulker,  had  died  five  months  before 
I got  there,  and  his  successor  in  office,  T.  X.  Caulker,  his 
brother,  was  more  friendly  to  our  mission  work  than  George 
had  been.  This  suggested  to  Mr.  Gomer  and  myself  that  that 
was  an  opportune  time  to  obtain  new  mission  sites,  and  the 
following  new  places  were  secured,  each  containing  one  hun- 
dred and  sixty  acres  of  land : Rembee,  which  is  about 
twenty  miles  from  Shenge,  in  a northwest  direction;  Mambo, 
fifteen  miles  south  of  Rembee;  Mo-Fuss,  fifteen  miles  east  of 
Mambo;  Tongkoloh,  twenty  miles  south  of  Mo-Fuss;  and 
Ivoolong,  fourteen  miles  south  of  Shenge.  This  circle  of 
new  mission  sites,  most  of  them  extending  interior  from  ten 
to  twenty  miles  from  the  coast,  and  about  one  hundred  miles 
around,  had  in  it  over  one  hundred  towns,  nearly  all  of 
which  could  easily  be  reached  from  one  of  these  stations.  At 
each  of  these  was  a resident  missionary  and  a day  school  and 


151 


Fifty-five  Years  of  Active  Life 

a Sunday  school.  Most  of  the  missionaries  were  natives  who 
had  been  educated  at  our  own  or  other  mission  stations. 

One  object  in  procuring  so  much  land  was  to  provide  for 
teaching  mission  boys  how  to  cultivate  the  land ; another  was 
to  settle  our  converts  on  it,  in  lots  of  from  five  to  twenty 
acres,  and  thus  keep  them  under  Christian  influence.  The 
land  cost  very  little.  It  is  a very  important  part  of  mission 
work  in  Africa  to  teach  the  people  how  to  farm  and  to  build 
houses,  furnish  and  live  in  them;  how  to  raise,  cook,  and  eat 
food  properly ; how  to  make,  wear,  and  wash  clothes ; in  short, 
how  to  provide  for  their  bodies  as  well  as  their  souls.  They 
must  be  helped  out  of  their  small,  cheerless,  dirty  mud  huts 
in  which  they  live;  clothes  must  be  put  upon  their  naked 
bodies,  and  they  must  be  taught  to  eat  their  food  from  tables, 
with  knives,  forks,  and  spoons,  instead  of  sitting  on  the 
ground  and  taking  it  out  of  the  vessel  in  which  it  is  cooked 
and  putting  it  into  their  mouths  with  their  hands.  To  ac- 
complish all  these  things,  profitable  employment  must  be 
given  them,  hence  the  necessity  of  teaching  the  mission  boys 
and  girls  how  to  be  housekeepers,  mechanics,  farmers,  and 
how  to  care  for  sick  people,  how  to  acquire  property,  as  well 
as  how  to  read,  write,  believe  on  Christ,  and  worship  him  in 
such  a way  as  to  save  their  souls. 

Two  rich,  stingy  men  were  once  solicited  by  me  for  mis- 
sionary money.  One  excused  himself  from  giving  because  he 
had  given  the  Lord  one  thousand  two  hundred  dollars  not 
long  before,  saying  the  lightning  had  struck  his  barn,  which 
was  full  of  hay  and  grain,  and  all  was  burned,  causing  a loss 
of  twelve  hundred  dollars.  The  other  man  was  quite  as 
sting}r,  but  he  had  some  conscience  left.  He  felt  he  ought 
to  give  the  fifty  dollars  asked  of  him.  Going  to  his  house 
to  talk  with  him  the  day  after  he  had  been  urged  to  give 
at  a camp-meeting,  he  said : “Do  let  me  alone ; I can’t  give 
you  the  fifty  dollars  now,  and  I will  die  if  you  don’t  let 
me  alone.”  There  was  an  awful  struggle  in  his  soul;  he  felt 
he  ought  to  give  the  money,  but  such  was  his  love  for  it  that 


152 


In  the  Gospel  Ministry 


lie  did  not  want  to  part  with  it.  His  wife  finally  said  to  him, 
“Do  give  that  man  the  money  and  let  him  go,”  and  he  gave  it. 

This  year  general  success  attended  our  mission  work,  except 
on  a few  frontier  fields,  where  there  was  but  little  success.  In 
Germany,  in  Africa,  and  especially  on  home  missions,  and  on 
most  of  the  frontier  missions,  there  was  real  prosperity.  The 
home  missions  in  the  thirty-one  self-supporting  conferences 
emjiloyed  two  hundred  and  fourteen  missionaries.  There 
were  received  into  the  Church  three  thousand  five  hundred 
and  sixty-three  members,  and  over  twenty  thousand  dollars 
were  paid  to  the  missionaries  on  these  missions.  The  Mission- 
ary Visitor  had  reached  a circulation  of  nearly  forty-five 
thousand.  The  Church  Erection  Society  had  also  made  more 
progress  than  ever  before.  I recall  with  much  thanksgiving 
to  God  the  happiness  I experienced  over  the  results  of  the 
labors  of  our  missionaries  this  year.  To  me  it  was  a year  of 
great  peril  and  hardship.  The  vessel  on  which  I went  to 
Africa  had  poor  accommodations.  Returning  on  the  same 
vessel,  my  associations  and  accommodations  were  better,  but  it 
had  its  perils  and  disadvantages. 

To  give  the  reader  an  idea  what  these  voyages  were 
to  passengers,  the  following  is  copied  from  a letter  written  by 
me  at  the  time:  “The  voyage  has  been  the  roughest  I ever 

made.  The  first  two  weeks  we  had  high  winds  and  waves,  ex- 
cept two  days,  in  which  time  there  were  two  three-day  gales, 
and  the  last  one  was  so  severe  that  it  seemed  as  though  the 
heavy  sea  would  knock  our  bark  to  pieces.  Every  little  while 
a large  wave  would  strike  the  vessel  with  such  force  as  to  make 
everything  tremble.  The  sky-light  in  the  cabin  was  so  open, 
and  also  the  port-holes  in  our  staterooms,  as  to  admit  consider- 
able water  at  times,  which  came  dashing  down  upon  our  table, 
beds,  and  cabin  floor,  making  it  exceedingly  disagreeable 
and  unhealthy.  A Mr.  Cambell  and  his  wife  were  driven 
out  of  their  beds  one  night,  and  my  mattress  and  bed  clothes 
were  wet  for  several  days  and  nights.  The  floor  next 
to  the  water-closet  was  quite  wet  for  most  of  the 


153 


Fifty -five  Years  of  Active  Life 

voyage,  because  water  escaped  from  it.  The  captain 
frequently  lighted  his  pipe  in  the  cabin,  which  to  us 
seasick  ones,  at  least  to  four  of  us,  was  very  disagreeable.  The 
gangway,  and  the  only  way  into  the  cabin,  had  to  be  kept 
closed  most  of  the  time  for  several  days  and  nights,  on  ac- 
count of  heavy  seas,  and  this  was  the  only  means  by  which 
fresh  air  could  be  admitted.  There  was  plenty  of  room  for 
water  to  get  into  the  staterooms  and  cabins,  which  we  did  not 
want,  but  none  for  fresh  air,  which  we  did  need  very  much. 
The  table  had  enough  on  it,  but  was  poorly  supplied  with 
suitable  food  for  seasick  passengers,  and  some  things  were 
horribly  cooked.  Several  of  us  suffered  for  want  of  that 
which  we  could  eat;  some  lady  passengers  finally  requested  a 
little  more  attention  to  their  wants,  which  brought  to  the  table 
an  abundance  of  rice,  which  we  ate  till  over  our  seasickness. 
Occasionally  there  was  fruit  and  dessert,  which  we  relished 
much,  but  seldom  as  much  as  an  ordinary  person  should  have. 
It  was  evident  our  bark  was  managed  by  those  in  control  to 
make  money,  without  regard  to  the  health  or  comfort  of  pas- 
sengers.” 

After  such  a voyage  to  Africa,  it  may  seem  strange  that  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Gomer  and  I should  venture  to  return  on  the  same 
vessel.  It  happened  this  way:  The  owner  of  the  vessel.had  an 
agent  in  Freetown  to  whom  I remarked  that  we  would  return 
to  the  United  States  about  the  1st  of  April.  The  agent  stated 
that  was  the  time  that  bark  would  sail  for  America,  adding, 
“And  you  will  go  on  it?”  To  this  I gave  an  emphatic  “No,” 
with  reasons.  A few  days  afterward  the  captain  sent  an 
apology,  and  said  things  should  be  all  right  on  the  return 
trip.  So  it  was,  having  a new  captain,  and  all  went  well  un- 
til we  collided  with  a brig  about  three  hundred  miles  from 
New  York.  The  account  of  that  was  published  in  the  Church 
paper  by  the  writer  as  follows,  under  date  of  New  York,  May 
22,  1882:  “Just  landed  and  all  is  well,  but  we  narrowly  es- 
caped a watery  grave.  Between  one  and  two  o’clock  in  the 
morning  on  the  18th  inst.,  a Dutch  brig  struck  the  jib-boom 


154 


In  the  Gospel  Ministry 


of  our  bark  and  carried  it  away.  The  rigging  of  the  two  ves- 
sels caught,  and  it  took  about  half  an  hour  to  get  them  apart. 
The  damage  to  our  vessel  was  about  one  thousand  dollars,  but 
the  brig  suffered  more.  Its  captain  said  at  first  they  would  go 
down,  and  asked  our  captain  to  lay  by  and  see.  At  eight 
o’clock  next  morning  it  was  decided  she  could  get  into  port. 
We  soon  knew  we  were  safe,  as  our  vessel  did  not  take  water. 
Fortunately  there  was  but  little  tvind  then,  and  the  collision 
was  in  a manner  to  do  the  least  damage.  God  reigns.  We 
go  from  her-e  to  annual  meeting  at  Lebanon,  Pennsylvania.” 

We  had  a Frenchman  for  a passenger  who  had  been  in 
Africa  as  a trader  for  several  years,  and  was  going  to  France 
by  way  of  New  York.  He  was  an  infidel.  After  it  was  known 
all  was  safe,  he  came  to  where  several  of  us  were  standing, 
and  jeeringly  said,  “What  a pity  that  we  did  not  all  become 
angels  this  morning.”  Our  captain  gave  him  the  following 
well-deserved  rebuke,  and  made  him  feel  its  force  keenly : 
“Good  angels  are  made  of  better  material  than  you  possess, 
and  thev  onlv  are  in  heaven,  hut  bad  angels  are  with  Satan  in 
hell.” 

Once  while  a passenger  on  the  City  of  Berlin,  going  from 
New  York  to  Liverpool,  we  lost  our  rudder  in  a severe  gale, 
and  were  forced  back  to  New  York  City.  A French  woman, 
after  being  told  all  was  safe,  screamed  all  one  night,  and  kept 
awake  several  of  us  whose  berths  were  near  hers.  She  was 
determined  to  go  to  the  bottom  of  the  ocean.  My  roommate 
laughingly  said,  but  not  loud  enough  for  her  to  hear  it,  that 
he  believed  she  was  too  silly  and  light  to  sink  if  she  were  in 
the  water,  and  that  she  certainly  was  a big  fool. 


155 


CHAPTER  XXXII. 


1882-83 — Accept  the  Mendi  Mission — Go  to  Africa — Ship  Disabled— 
Mendi  Property — The  “Early  Dawn”— The  John  Brown  Steamer 
— The  “Drivers.” 

How  more  activity  and  responsibility  could  be  crowded  into 
one  year  than  were  in  this,  is  difficult  to  conceive.  In  Novem- 
ber, 188&,  I obtained  the  information  that  the  American  Mis- 
sionary Association,  of  New  York,  was  about  to  transfer 
Mendi  mission,  in  Africa,  to  the  American  Board,  in  Boston, 
in  exchange  for  some  Indian  missions  they  had.  Mendi  mis- 
sion being  contiguous  to  our  mission  in  Africa,  and  we  having 
cooperated,  always  being  on  terms  of  friendship,  I was  deeply 
interested  in  this  change.  I therefore  wrote  to  the  secretary 
of  the  American  Missionary  Association  that  I hoped  Mendi 
mission  would  be  properly  cared  for,  and  said  to  him  that  if  it 
had  such  a superintendent  as  Sherbro  mission  had,  in  the 
person  of  Rev.  J.  Corner,  success  would  be  assured  without 
increasing  their  appropriation.  Mendi  mission  had  been  man- 
aged by  a freedman  from  the  South,  and  the  missionaries  em- 
ployed there  were  also  freedmen,  who  did  but  little  good.  In 
reply  to  that  letter  the  secretary  of  the  American  Missionary 
Association  asked  if  the  United  Brethren  Church  would  take 
control  of  Mendi  mission,  and  operate  it  for  five  years  upon 
the  avails  of  the  Avery  fund,  which  was  put  into  their  hands 
for  Africa,  and  which  amounted  to  about  five  thousand  dol- 
lars annually.  He  also  asked  whether  it  would  accept  eight 
thousand  dollars  which  had  been  collected  in  Sunday  schools 
for  the  special  purpose  of  building  a steamer  for  the  African 
mission,  to  be  called  John  Brown,  and  see  to  it  that  such  a 
steamer  was  built  and  operated  in  behalf  of  missions  in 
Africa.  As  the  headquarters  of  Mendi  mission  was  at  Bonthe, 


156 


In  the  Gospel  Ministry 

one  hundred  and  twenty  miles  south  of  Freetown,  at  which 
place  missionaries  debarked  going  there,  and  embarked 
for  returning  to  the  United  States,  and  as  our  headquarters 
were  at  Shenge,  midway  between  Freetown  and  Bonthe,  it  was 
very  desirable  tQ  have  just  such  a mission-craft  as  was  pro- 
posed, to  carry  missionaries  and  mission  supplies  from  Free- 
town to  Shenge  and  Bonthe. 

An  agreement  was  reached  between  the  three  committees 
about  the  first  of  December,  turning  over  to  the  United  Breth- 
ren Board  of  Missions  all  the  property  of  the  Mendi  mission, 
together  with  eight  thousand  dollars  with  which  to  build  a 
steamer,  one  of  the  conditions  being  that  I would  go  to 
England  and  contract  for  the  building  of  the  John  Brown, 
and  then  proceed  to  Africa  and  supervise  the  details  of  the 
transfer  of  Mendi  mission  to  the  United  Brethren  Board.  To 
do  this  the  executive  committee  requested  me  to  go,  and  also 
to  look  after  the  needs  of  Sherbro  mission;  hold  the  district 
annual  conference ; then  go  to  Germany  and  hole!  the  annual 
conference  with  our  missionaries  there,  and  return  to  the 
United  States  in  the  spring  of  1883,  in  time  to  be  present  at 
the  annual  meeting  of  the  Board,  which  met  in  May.  I did 
all  of  that,  and  experienced  a shipwreck  in  the  bargain.  I 
embarked  in  New  York,  on  the  City  of  Berlin,  December  9, 
and  that  vessel  lost  its  rudder  in  a fearful  gale  at  midnight 
of  the  eleventh,  when  about  one  thousand  miles  from  New 
^ ork.  After  floating  about  at  the  mercy  of  the  waves  for 
forty-eight  hours,  using  all  the  signals  of  distress  available, 
the  City  of  Chester,  a steamer  westward  bound,  overtook  us, 
and  towed  us  back  to  New  York,  which  place  we  reached  the 
twenty-first.  I sailed  again  on  the  twenty-third  for  Liver- 
pool, and  had  a good  voyage. 

While  in  Africa  I took  an  inventory  of  all  that  was  in  pos- 
session of  Mendi  mission.  There  were  only  two  stations, 
Good  Hope  and  Avery.  At  both  these  places  there  were  good 
mission  residences,  chapels,  schoolhouses,  and  at  Avery  a 
sawmill,  a coffee  farm  of  one  thousand  five  hundred  bearing 

O 


157 


Fifty-five  Years  of  Active  Life 

trees,  and  quite  a lot  of  lumber  and  logs.  There  were  also 
five  rowboats,  and  a lot  of  household  furniture  and  other 
things,  well  worth  two  thousand  dollars,  not  including  land 
or  buildings.  As  we  were  to  get  about  five  thousand  dollars  a 
year,  and  these  two  stations  did  not  require  all  that,  a new 
station  was  opened  at  Manoh,  which  was  in  the  Mendi 
mission  territory.  At  Bonthe,  where  Mendi  mission  once  pub- 
lished a small  paper,  there  was  some  type  and  other  printing 
material,  and  the  publication  of  the  Early  Dawn  was  re- 
sumed; Mr.  D.  F.  Wilberforce  was  made  its  editor.  To  help 
in  this  the  Religious  Telescope  office  afterward  gave  one 
hundred  and  fifty  dollars,  by  order  of  the  General  Confer- 
ence. 

On  my  way  to  Africa  I went  to  Scotland  and  England  to 
confer  with  shipbuilders,  to  learn  how  much  of  a steamer 
could  be  bought  for  seven  thousand  dollars,  reserving  one 
thousand  dollars  for  getting  it  to  Africa,  and  for  its  equip- 
ment there.  Not  being  able  to  contract  for  such  a vessel  as  I 
thought  was  needed  for  seven  thousand  dollars,  I wrote  to 
the  New  York  committee  to  make  it  nine  thousand  six  hun- 
dred dollars,  which  it  generously  did.  On  my  way  home  I 
contracted  with  Mr.  E.  Hayes,  at  Stony  Stratford,  England, 
for  a steamer  sixty  feet  long,  twelve  feet  in  the  beam,  and  to 
be  able  to  carry  fifteen  tons  cargo,  and  accommodate  six  or 
eight  passengers  and  fuel  for  two  days’  running.  It  was  to 
cost  one  thousand  seven  hundred  and  seventy-seven  pounds 
sterling,  or  about  eight  thousand  seven  hundred  dollars,  and 
was  to  be  finished  by  October,  1883.  It  was  not  completed  by 
that  date,  and  it  was  November  before  it  finally  got  off.  En- 
countering a fearful  gale,  it  was  towed  back  to  Dartmouth, 
where  the  Board  of  Trade  detained  it  till  May,  1884,  and  the 
salvage  and  repairs  necessar}*"  to  go  to  sea  again  cost  im- 
mensely. We  also  lost  the  contract  to  carry  the  mail  in 
Africa,  which  will  receive  explanation  further  on.  This  much 
ought  to  be  said  now,  if  the  shipbuilders  had  gotten  the  J ohn 
Brown  finished  according  to  contract,  many  thousands  of  dol- 


158 


In  the  Gospel  Ministry 

lars  would  have  been  saved,  and  I should  have  escaped  much 
unjust  criticism. 

Another  important  event  of  this  year  was  the  securing  of 
the  cooperation  of  the  Freedmen’s  Missions  Aid  Society,  of 
No.  18  Adams  Street,  London.  Dr.  White,  of  New  Haven, 
Connecticut,  who  had  spent  some  time  in  England  soliciting 
funds,  gave  me  a letter  of  introduction  to  the  Rev.  J.  Gwynne 
Jones,  the  secretary  of  the  Freedmen’s  Missions  Aid  Society, 
as  did  also  Dr.  Strieby,  secretary  of  the  American  Missionary 
Association,  of  New  York.  With  these  I visited  Mr.  Jones, 
and  give  him  a copy  of  the  missionary  report  of  our  Board  for 
1882,  and  other  documents,  and  made  such  statements  of  our 
African  mission  as  I deemed  proper.  I also  wrote  Mr.  Jones 
from  Africa,  and  on  my  return  to  London  gave  him  a written 
report  showing  what  we  had  in  Africa,  including  Mendi  mis- 
sion. The  result  was  that  the  Freedmen’s  Missions  Aid 
Society  agreed  to  cooperate  with  us,  and  gave  us  that  year 
nearly  five  thousand  dollars,  and  have  contributed  consider- 
able sums  since  to  Africa. 

My  visit  to  Germany  was  also  much  needed.  Besides  hav- 
ing our  liberties  abridged  there  by  the  civil  authorities,  dis- 
cordant elements  had  developed  among  our  missionaries  to 
such  an  extent  as  to  forebode  evil.  These  were  largely  re- 
moved, four  new  members  were  admitted  into  the  annual  dis- 
trict meeting,  and  thirteen  new  members  were  received  into 
the  Church.  Steps  were  taken  to  publish  a small  monthly 
there  in  behalf  of  our  missionary  work.  One  hundred  and 
fifty  dollars  were  set  apart  bv  the  General  Conference  for  this, 
at  my  request. 

Great  prosperity  attended  our  home  missions,  they  receiv- 
ing into  the  Church  during  the  year  four  thousand  five  hun- 
dred and  forty-three  members,  while  in  our  frontier  missions 
two  thousand  seven  hundred  and  thirty-four  were  received. 

It  may  seem  strange,  but  it  is  true,  that  during  my  absence 
from  the  United  States  for  six  months  at  a time,  I still  edited 
the  Missionary  Visitor.  I selected  matter  for  months  ahead 


159 


Fifty-five  Years  of  Active  Life 

when  going  abroad,  and  then  wrote  editorials  on  the  cars, 
aboard  of  ship,  and  whenever  there  was  a leisure  hour  to  do  so. 
I also  wrote  for  other  Church  papers,  English  and  German, 
and  for  the  Sunday-school  periodicals. 

While  in  Africa  on  this  trip,  I traveled  over  one  thousand 
miles  in  rowboats,  not  counting  the  rapid  movements  I made 
when  the  drivers  got  after  me.  These  drivers  are  a species 
of  black  ant,  which  march  with  all  the  regularity  of  an  army. 
They  enter  houses,  and  go  into  every  nook  and  corner  of  them, 
marching  in  a column  from  one  to  one  and  a half  inches  wide, 
the  outside  ones  being  picked  fighters  and  biters.  Twice  at 
Shenge  they  entered  my  bedroom,  and  got  onto  the  bed  at 
ten  o’clock  at  night,  and  bit  me  so  furiously  that  I left  in 
my  sleeping-gown,  until  they  finished  their  tour  of  that  room. 
They  go  from  cellar  to  garret,  killing  cockroaches,  mice,  and 
rats,  and  have  been  known  to  kill  goats  when  in  pens,  where 
they  could  not  get  out  of  their  way.  They  sink  their  bills 
into  one’s  flesh  and  never  let  go.  When  pulled  off  with  the 
hand,  their  heads  remain. 

Three  things  gave  me  much  trouble:  1.  To  make  a good 

deed  for  Freetown  property.  This  required  three  weeks’  walk- 
ing, talking,  and  praying.  2.  Building  a sea-wall  at  Shenge, 
which  was  a failure  in  part,  and  ought  never  to  have  been  at- 
tempted. 3.  Building  the  John  Brown,  which  I did  after 
much  counsel  and  prayer,  and  which  was  both  a success  and  a 
failure. 

In  an  article  I wrote  at  Shenge,  March  7,  1882,  the  follow- 
ing is  found:  “Just  twenty-one  years  ago  last  fall  I came 

here  from  America  at  my  own  expense,  bringing  with  me  a 
few  goods  with  which  I managed  to  pay  the  debts  of  the 
mission,  amounting  to  about  one  hundred  and  thirty  dollars, 
and  left  an  equal  amount  with  Mr.  Williams,  the  native 
laborer,  for  him  to  get  through  the  next  year.  There  was  here 
a small  chapel,  which  soon  fell  down,  because  so  badly  eaten 
by  bug-a-bugs;  in  it  Mr.  Williams  and  family  lived,  and 
taught  a day  and  Sunday  school,  having  from  twelve  to  fif- 


1G0 


In  the  Gospel  Ministry 

teen  children  in  attendance,  and  held  services  on  Sabbath  with 
very  small  congregations;  and  that  was  all  there  was  of 
Sherbro  mission  then.  Xow  we  have  five  stations,  the  weakest 
of  which  far  surpasses  all  we  had  then,  preach  in  forty  odd 
towns  regularly,  and  arrangements  have  been  made  to  open 
one  new  station  immediately,  and  another  next  year.” 


11 


1C  l 


CHAPTER  XXXIII. 


18S3-S4 — Increasing  Responsibility — Misfortunes  of  the  John  Broicn 
— Spiritual  Results  and  New  Missionaries — A Prophecy — 
Flogged  the  Oarsman — In  a Storm. 

The  African  mission  had  given  me  all  the  work  and  re- 
sponsibility and  peril  I could  endure,  as  I thought,  but  these 
kept  increasing  more  and  more.  Receiving  large  sums  of 
money  front  the  American  Missionary  Association  pleased  the 
executive  committee  much,  but  because  the  Freedmen’s  Mis- 
sions Aid  did  not  furnish  five  thousand  dollars  the  second 
year,  as  its  secretary  said  he  thought  it  would,  I was  severely 
criticized.  Some  men  measured  success  achieved  in  mission 
work  by  its  inexpensiveness.  To  save  money  by  employing 
inferior  native  helpers,  no  difference  how  much  the  work 
might  be  neglected  thereby,  or  the  spiritual  welfare  of  the 
people  left  uncared  for,  in  their  estimation  was  success.  Then 
they  never  made  allowances  for  reverses,  which  inevitably  oc- 
curred in  Africa,  owing  to  sickness  and  other  conditions 
there. 

To  be  sure  to  have  the  steamer  John  Brown  built  accord- 
ing to  contract,  and  finished  and  started  to  Africa  in  time,  and 
to  assist  Rev.  J.  G.  Jones  in  his  work  as  secretary  of  the 
Freedmen’s  Missions  Aid  Society,  the  treasurer  of  our  Miss- 
ionary Society  was  sent  to  England  in  September,  1883.  The 
steamer  was  not  ready  for  nearly  a month  after  the  time  it 
was  to  be  done,  and  then  some  changes  had  to  be  made  which 
delayed  its  sailing  for  some  days.  At  last  the  John  Brown, 
commanded  by  William  Brown,  left  London  for  Sierra  Leone. 
The  second  day  out  a severe  gale  was  encountered,  which  so 
disabled  the  machinery  of  the  vessel  that  it  had  to  be  towed  to 
Dartmouth  by  a pilot  boat.  Being  so  small,  and  the  season 


162 


In  the  Gospel  Ministry 


of  the  year  causing  rough  seas,  the  Board  of  Trade  refused  to 
allow  it  to  venture  to  sea  again  until  May,  1884.  The  cost  of 
towing  it  into  port,  repairing  machinery,  and  keeping  it  at 
anchor  from  November  till  May,  and  getting  it  to  Africa 
finally,  was  enormous.  This  large  extra  sum  of  money  would 
have  been  saved  had  the  steamer  started  two  weeks  earlier. 
When  in  Africa,  the  year  before,  Mr.  Gomer  and  I had  practi- 
cally made  a contract  with  the  Colonial  authorities  in  Free- 
town to  carry  the  mails  from  that  city  to  Bonthe,  just  the 
route  the  John  Brown  was  to  go  weekly,  and  for  which  they 
were  to  pay  two  hundred  and  forty  dollars  a month.  With 
this  contract,  which  would  have  been  effected  had  the  John 
Brown  got  to  Africa  in  November  instead  of  May,  it  would 
have  been  a source  of  considerable  profit  to  the  Society,  in- 
stead of  great  loss.  As  it  was,  the  boat  did  excellent  service 
for  a couple  of  years,  and  had  the  reputation  of  making  the 
trips  of  one  hundred  and  twenty  miles,  from  Bonthe  to  Free- 
town, more  regularly  than  any  craft  ever  did  before. 

At  the  same  time  the  Society  was  incurring  great  financial 
loss,  remarkable  gains  were  being  made  in  the  number  of  con- 
verts and  in  the  increase  of  spiritual  life  at  both  Sherbro  and 
Mendi  missions.  Sending  the  John  Brown  to  Africa  led  to 
the  appointment  of  Revs.  J.  M.  Lesher  and  W.  S.  Sage  and 
their  wives  to  our  mission,  in  October,  1883,  and  to  the  open- 
ing of  several  new  mission  stations,  some  of  which  became  im- 
portant, and  was  the  beginning  of  a general  ingathering  of 
souls  into  our  mission  churches  there.  The  year  1884  added 
one  thousand  and  twelve  members,  while  in  all  the  twenty- 
eight  years  previous  there  were  but  five  hundred  and  fourteen 
received.  In  1885  there  were  one  thousand  one  hundred  and 
three,  and  in  1886,  one  thousand  three  hundred  and  eleven 
more  were  received.  That  looked  as  though  God’s  time  to 
favor  Zion  had  come,  notwithstanding  the  great  financial  loss. 
The  following,  copied  from  my  report  to  the  Board,  shows 
how  some  things  can  be  forecast  pretty  correctly.  Bear  in 
mind  that  this  quotation  was  in  the  report  made  in  May,  1884, 


163 


Fifty-five  Years  of  Active  Life 

when  the  great  success  of  that  year  was  unknown  to  me.  “The 
reverses  of  last  year  caused  me  to  carefully  examine  all  the 
circumstances  to  see  whether  it  was  not  a blunder  for  us  to 
undertake  so  great  a work  as  we  now  have  in  Africa.  The 
more  carefully  this  question  is  examined,  the  more  fully  will 
it  appear  that  in  this  we  were  providentially  led,  and  that 
God’s  blessing  has  manifestly  rested  upon  our  efforts  to  rein- 
force that  field  with  efficient  laborers,  who,  in  connection  with 
others  previously  there,  are  having  very  encouraging  success. 
Everything  connected  with  the  late  great  enlargement  of  our 
work  in  that  country  indicates  that  the  same  Providence  which 
led  us  so  unexpectedly  into  the  responsible  position  we  occupy 
as  a board  of  missions,  will  guide  us  to  a glorious  victory  and 
an  honorable  ending,  if  we  are  faithful.  As  I stated  to  the 
General  Conference  fifteen  years  ago  in  reference  to  mission 
work  in  Africa,  so  I say  now,  I cannot  but  believe  that  a 
glorious  harvest  of  souls  will  yet  be  gathered  among  that  peo- 
ple by  the  church  which  does  faithful  work  in  that  dark  land. 
The  magnitude  of  the  work  which  our  Heavenly  Father  has 
so  evidently  placed  in  our  hands  may  well  cause  us  to  falter, 
considering  the  great  liability  there  is  in  our  being  misunder- 
stood and  even  censured,  in  case  reverses  should  come,  unless 
we  are  able  to  walk  by  faith  and  not  by  sight.” 

The  first  time  I was  in  Africa  I ascended  the  Big  Boom 
Eiver  one  hundred  miles,  and  once  had  to  cross  it  where  it  was 
a mile  wide.  When  near  the  middle,  and  in  a strong  current, 
my  main  oarsman  refused  to  pull,  which  caused  the  frail 
native  canoe  to  get  broadside  in  that  current,  making  it  liable 
to  capsize.  I thereupon  struck  the  man  with  the  tiller  stick, 
causing  him  and  all  hands  to  pull  well,  and  thus  soon  I was 
carried  to  a place  of  safety.  The  crew  had  been  quarreling 
with  the  captain  all  the  three  days  it  took  to  make  that  trip, 
which  was  ended  Saturday.  On  Sunday  I preached,  and  the 
only  one  of  my  crew,  five  in  number,  who  attended  the  service, 
was  the  man  I flogged  two  days  before.  My  experience  on  the 


164 


In  the  Gospel  Ministry 

Big  Boom  River  was  a good  illustration  of  the  impropriety  of 
trading  horses  in  the  middle  of  the  river. 

Once  in  going  from  Freetown,  in  Africa,  by  way  of  Liver- 
pool, we  were  caught  in  a terrible  gale  off  the  Bay  of  Biscay. 
The  high  wind  and  seas  from  the  northwest  impeded  the 
progress  of  the  vessel,  which  had  very  defective  machinery  and 
was  short  of  coal.  She  finally  reached  Liverpool  two  days 
late,  with  less  than  a ton  of  coal  aboard.  On  Easter  Sunday 
afternoon  three  young  men  who  had  been  quite  wicked  met  in 
a stateroom,  and  sang  most  beautifully  the  hymn,  “Rocked  in 
the  Cradle  of  the  Deep.”  These  men  in  that  way  were  trying 
to  make  right  some  wrongs  they  had  done  during  the  voyage, 
for  they  realized,  as  we  all  did,  our  great  danger.  The  chief 
engineer  did  not  have  his  clothes  off  either  Saturday  or  Sun- 
day nights,  he  and  a number  of  men  being  waist  deep  in  the 
water  which  they  were  bailing  out. 

At  the  annual  meeting  of  1884,  I plead  hard  to  have  the 
Board  of  Missions  apportion  ten  cents  per  member  in  the 
United  Brethren  Church,  besides  what  it  received  from  the 
American  Missionary  Association  and  the  Freedmen’s  Mis- 
sions Aid  Society,  for  Africa;  also  to  apportion  two  cents 
io  the  member  for  our  Germany  mission,  these  being  the  only 
foreign  missions  then  dependent  upon  the  Church. 


1C5 


CHAPTER  XXXIV. 

188-1—85 — Grumblers — On  the  Pacific  Coast — -Treasurer  Billheimer 
Reports — Comparison  of  Cost  Per  Member — Assets,  Material  and 
Spiritual — New  Kind  of  Foreordination. 

This  year  was  in  many  respects  a remarkable  one;  much 
travel,  much  peril  by  land  and  sea,  much  suffering,  physical 
and  mental ; much  criticism,  much  anxiety,  and  much  success 
on  the  Pacific  Coast,  in  England,  Germany,  and  Africa.  I 
endured  much,  and  learned  that  some  men,  both  in  the  min- 
istry and  laity,  were  quite  willing  to  grind  men  like  farmers 
ground  corn  off  the  cob,  and  after  they  got  all  that  they  could 
of  money,  toil,  privation,  they  would  do  with  him  as  the 
farmer  did  with  the  cob,  throw  it  away  as  a useless  thing. 
I closed  one  of  my  letters  sent  from  Africa  with  the  following 
words : “More  and  more  I feel  like  meeting  all  who  severely 
criticise  us  and  the  African  mission  at  the  judgment-seat  of 
Christ.  If  there  were  a way  of  going  and  coming  back,  I 
would  agree  to  accompany  one  hundred  of  the  worst  grumblers 
and  settle  the  matter  at  once.” 

About  the  first  of  June  1884,  I went  to  the  Pacific  Coast, 
I did  not  desire  to  go,  but  went  because  the  Board  so  ordered. 
There  were  difficulties  in  Oregon  to  be  adjusted.  I met 
Bishop  Castle  in  Washington  and  went  with  him  to  quarterly 
and  dedication  meetings.  Then  we  went  to  Walla  Walla  mis- 
sion conference,  which  met  in  Huntsville.  There  the  question 
arose  as  to  what  to  do  with  our  church  property  in  the  city 
of  Walla  Walla.  The  church  and  parsonage  were  worth 
$3,500, 'but  the  society  had  gone  down;  some  thought  the 
property  had  better  be  sold,  others  that  it  should  be  leased, 
Walla  Walla  being  a growing  city.  I learned  that  there  were 
a number  of  Chinese  there,  with  nothing  being  done  in  behalf 


1G6 


In  the  Gospel  Ministry 

of  their  Christianization,  and  advised  that  a school  be  com- 
menced for  their  benefit.  To  this  the  conference  agreed,  and 
a subscription  of  $500  was  raised  to  start  a school,  and  a 
committee  appointed  to  superintend  it.  It  was  commenced 
the  following  November  and  did  well.  Next  I visited  the 
Chinese  school  in  Portland  and  spent  a day  and  night  seeing 
its  operations.  Then  I went  to  Oregon  Conference,  which 
met  in  Philomath,  the  site  of  our  college.  A difference  of 
opinion  among  the  members  on  the  subject  of  holiness,  secret 
societies,  and  the  action  of  the  Board  made  it  difficult  for  the 
bishop  to  administer  the  laws  of  the  Church,  and  this  was  re- 
tarding the  cause.  One  principal  object  of  my  visit  was  to 
bring  about  more  harmony  between  these  brethren,  which  was 
largely  accomplished.  From  Oregon  I went  to  California, 
and  spent  several  weeks  with  the  missionaries;  then  I came 
on  to  Colorado,  and  spent  several  days  helping  missionaries 
there.  Mainly  through  Bishop  Castle  I received  in  collections 
for  the  African  mission  the  entire  cost  of  the  trip.  The  fol- 
lowing October  I went  to  England  and  spent  two  months 
helping  the  Freedman's  Missionary  Association  to  collect 
money.  Then  in  December  I sailed  for  Africa,  my  eighth 
trip  to  that  mission,  and  landed  there  the  first  week  in  Jan- 
uary, 1885.  I returned  in  the  spring,  barely  in  time  to  reach 
the  General  Conference,  which  met  May  13. 

In  my  absence  Bev.  J.  K.  Billheimer,  the  treasurer  of  the 
Enited  Brethren  Missionary  Society,  largely  did  my  office 
work.  He  prepared  the  report  to  the  Board  and  said : “We 
are  much  encouraged  with  our  work  in  Germany,  and  in  the 
Sherbro  and  Mendi  missions;  but  few  if  any  of  our  home  mis- 
sions are  able  to  report  so  large  an  increase  as  this  mission. 
While  some  may  count  thirty  and  fiftyfold,  that  mission  had 
over  two  hundred  per  cent,  increase.  According  to  the  direc- 
tions of  the  Board  at  its  last  meeting,  the  Secretary  went  to 
England,  where  he  did  much  to  further  our  interests  bv  pub- 
lic meetings  and  private  solicitation.  The  presence  of  our 
Secretary  was  never  more  needed  in  Africa  than  during  the 


1C7 


Fifty-five  Years  of  Active  Life 

last  year.  Our  superintendent  there  was  being  borne  on  a 
tidal  wave  of  a great  work  with  such  force  and  rapidity  as 
to  give  him  no  time  to  look  back.  The  mighty  ship  was  under 
full  sail.  It  is  easy  to  make  sail  with  a gentle  breeze,  not  so 
easy  to  take  it  in  in  time  of  storm.  The  Secretary  helped  to 
ease  the  ship  down  to  a speed  more'in  conformity  to  our  idea. 
Our  motto  is,  Go  slow,  keep  in  the  edge  of  the  trade-winds. 

“If  some  heathen  craft,  with  distress  signals,  hails  you  for 
a cup  of  water  or  to  be  taken  on  board,  answer  back,  ‘Our 
supply  of  water  is  limited,  and  we  are  forbidden  to  take  any 
more  on  board.’  Sail  on,  good  ship,  and  let  them  perish. 
Colloquy  on  the  heathen  craft:  ‘We  perish  for  water,  why  is 
their  supply  limited?  They  have  plenty  of  vessels,  and  can 
get  more  missionaries ; why  are  they  not  filled  ? Who  sent 
the  ship  here?  The  Christian  people  of  America.  But  why 
not  till  their  vessels?  Because  some  did  not  want  to  spare 
the  water,  and  others  think  the  barrels  leak  and  the  water  is 
wasted ; but  if  we  could  only  have  the  leakage  we  would 
not  die.’ 

“The  general  order  is  ‘Retrench,  go  no  further,  reduce  your 
working  force.’  The  management  of  our  foreign  work  has 
been  criticized  because  of  our  heavy  expenditure.  Let  us 
compare  figures.  The  following  figures  given  in  the  Foreign 
Missionary  do  not  include  our  Board,  but  we  will  include 
it.  In  the  Congregational  foreign  missions  there  were  added 
during  the  year  2,371  converts  at  a cost  of  $248.14  per  mem- 
ber. The  Christian  church  received  into  her  communion  from 
heathen  converts  365  at  a cost  of  $72.55  per  member.  The 
Episcopalian  missions  received  228  at  a cost  of  $592.03  per 
member.  The  Methodist  foreign  missions  2,981,  at  a cost  of 
$234.91  per  member.  The  Baptist  church  received  in  its  for- 
eign mission,  11,891  at  a cost  of  $37.05  per  member.  The 
secretary  of  the  Presbyterian  Board  justly  finds  fault  with 
the  methods  by  which  the  Baptists  arrive  at  these  figures. 
The  statistics  given  by  the  other  boards  represent  the  number 
gathered  in  from  the  heathen,  but  the  Baptists  inchide  all  in 


168 


In  the  Gospel  Ministry 


foreign  .lands.  About  7,000  converts  were  made  in  Sweden 
and  Germany,  while  4,679  converts  were  made  from  among 
the  heathen  at  a cost  of  $67  per  member,  which  is  still  the 
best  by  over  $5  per  member.  We  report  for  our  mission  in 
Africa  1,113  at  a cost  of  $23.68  per  member.  This  is  one 
of  the  most  encouraging  facts  that  was  ever  recorded  on  the 
pages  of  United  Brethren  history.” 

Jn  my  report  to  the  General  Conference  I said  that  we  had 
paid  some  of  the  debt,  but  things  took  a sudden  turn  against 
the  society,  and  added : “It  looks  very  much  as  though  the 
Lord  had  managed  some  of  the  things  charged  against  our 
superintendent  in  Africa,  the  executive  committee,  and  offi- 
cers of  the  missionary  society.  At  all  events,  he  has  greatly 
blessed  these  efforts  in  rapidly  building  up  his  cause  and  sav- 
ing precious  souls  in  Africa.  While  there  last  winter  I ex- 
amined into  the  financial  and  moral  worth  of  the  mission 
more  carefully  than  ever  before,  and  with  results  far  more 
favorable  than  I believed  possible.  In  our  distress  for  money 
we  seriously  considered  the  question  of  selling  out,  in  part 
or  whole.  This  led  to  the  discovery  that  we  were  worth  from 
$25,900  to  $30,000,  and  that  the  cash  could  be  realized  upon 
one-half  of  this  at  any  time,  and  we  believe  on  it  all  in  the 
near  future.  The  available  assets  consist  in  produce  and 
goods  in  the  mission  store,  nearly  a dozen  rowboats  and  ca- 
noes, mission  wharf  and  warehouse,  with  the  privilege  to  do 
business  upon  mission  premises.  The  balance  of  our  assets 
consist  in  lands,  houses,  shops,  and  farms,  which  are  valuable 
especially  for  mission  purposes.  The  most  valuable  assets  of 
the  mission  are  the  religious  and  moral  influences  in  operation 
producing  results  highly  gratifying.  I tried  to  invoice  the 
gospel  seed  sown  in  294  towns  into  which  our  missionaries  go. 

There  are  500  children  in  our  Sunday  schools,  upon  most 
of  whose  young  hearts  the  law  of  God  has  been  so  engraved 
as  to  lead  them  to  Christ.  I also  took  account  of  1,526  mem- 
bers we  have  there,  the  large  majority  of  whom  were  a few 
years  ago  as  degraded  heathen  as  ever  lived.  Most  of  them 


1G9 


Fifty-five  Years  of  Active  Life 

are  now  striving  to  follow  Christ.  I made  note  of  the  sixty 
raw  heathen  who  walked  several  miles  near  midnight  and 
waked  up  our  missionary  to  have  him  tell  of  Christ.  He  had 
preached  that  evening  to  about  thirty  persons,  being  the  first 
time  he  was  there.  Two  men  from  a neighboring  town  went 
home  after  that  meeting  and  told  what  they  had  heard,  which 
so  interested  the  people  that  sixty  of  them  came  to  the  mis- 
sionary and  waked  him  up,  saving  they  feared  he  would  be 
gone  before  they  could  get  there  in  the  morning,  and  desiring 
that  he  tell  them  the  “God  word.”  This  he  did  at  that  mid- 
night hour.  I also  took  stock  of  the  scores  of  souls  saved  in 
heaven  and  on  earth  from  the  terrible  degradation  of  heathen- 
ism, not  represented  on  ordinary  balance  sheets.  I am  quite 
certain  that  the  assets  of  our  mission  in  Africa  far  exceed  its 
liabilities.” 

While  in  Africa  this  time  I held  the  sixth  annual  session 
of  Sherbro  mission  district,  the  first  week  of  March,  1885. 
The  secretary  of  that  meeting  in  writing  an  account  of  it 
said  it  was  the  most  enjoyable  of  all  our  district  meetings. 
The  very  first  gathering  was  characterized  by  the  presence 
of  the  Holy  Spirit,  which  continued  throughout  the  session. 
It  was  a prosperous  year  in  the  history  of  the  African  mission, 
294  towns  being  visited  by  our  missionaries,  with  a member- 
ship of  1,526.  I asked  Mr.  Gomer  to  tell  how  many  had  died 
at  Shenge  during  the  fourteen  years  he  was  there  whom  he 
regarded  as  Christians.  After  thinking  the  matter  over  for 
some  time,  he  said  he  could  safely  say  twenty-six,  hut  added, 
“You  may  count  them  by  scores  if  you  include  those  who  died 
at  all  our  stations  who  had  been  striving  to  do  the  will  of 
God.”  A careful  appraisement  of  our  property  in  Africa, 
including  lands,  houses,  boats,  amounted  to  over  $28,000. 
Add  to  these  facts  the  truth  that  thirty  years  before  people 
lived  in  mud  huts  without  floor,  doors,  or  windows ; many 
of  them  wore  no  clothing,  slept  on  the  ground,  and  would 
eat  bugs,  ants,  rats,  snakes,  monkeys,  and  one  another;  they 
were  cannibals,  polygamists,  slaveholder's,  devil  worshipers, 


170 


In  the  Gospel  Ministry 

burning  to  death  witches,  and  in  many  other  ways  inflicting 
on  each  other  untold  cruelties. 

When  in  Africa  in  1883,  a new  kind  of  foreordination  was 
discovered.  We  kept  quite  a number  of  mission  children 
whom  we  fed  and  clothed,  their  food  consisting  principally 
of  rice  and  fish.  At  times  fish  were  not  easily  caught,  at  other 
times  our  fisherman  would  smuggle  most  of  the  fish  away  and 
sell  them,  supposing  we  would  not  find  it  out  and  continue  his 
full  wages.  When  the  children  were  without  fish  for  a time 
we  furnished  some  beef  to  the  man  who  drew  their  daily 
supplies  of  rice.  On  Saturday  morning  there  was  enough 
supplied  for  two  days,  and  thereafter  it  got  to  be  a com- 
mon thing  that  there  was  no  fish  for  Saturday,  so  that  a 
double  portion  of  beef  had  to  be  furnished.  The  steward  and 
fisherman  had  foreordained  that  there  should  be  no  fish  on 
Saturday,  which  would  give  them  beef  for  two  days,  which 
they  all  relished  very  much.  As  a matter  of  course  we  put 
an  end  to  that  kind  of  foreordination,  it  being  too  expensive. 

The  sexton  of  the  mission  chapel,  besides  seeing  that  the 
house  was  kept  properly,  had  to  keep  the  people  in  order. 
Occasionally  raw  heathen  and  children  had  to  be  told  to  be 
still  and  shown  how  to  behave.  One  Sunday,  just  after  I had 
commenced  service,  a boy  about  three  years  old  came  into 
church  with  all  of  his  clothes,  which  consisted  of  a Madras 
handkerchief,  wound  around  his  head.  The  sexton  marched 
him  out  and  put  the  dress  on  him  from  waist  downward,  and 
then  brought  him  back  and  put  him  in  a seat.  He  also  saw 
to  it  that  the  people  kept  awake  during  service,  and  for  this 
he  not  unfrequently  had  a switch  about  three  feet  long  with 
which  to  touch  them,  or  if  need  be  to  strike  them.  This  same 
man  was  one  of  our  class-leaders,  and  led  class-meetings  well ; 
but  at  public  worship  he  quietly  passed  around,  not  to  inquire 
of  them  respecting  their  religious  experience,  but  to  see  that 
they  kept  their  clothes  on,  staid  awake,  and  behaved  properly. 

That  country  was  infested  with  jiggers  to  an  alarming  ex- 
tent at  that  time.  That  small  insect,  about  half  the  size  of 


171 


Fifty-five  Years  of  Active  Life 


an  ordinary  flea,  would  bury  itself  unperceived  into  the  flesh, 
mostly  in  the  ends  of  the  fingers  and  toes,  and  if  not  removed 
promptly  it  would  deposit  its  eggs,  and  soon  there  would  be 
a brood  of  jiggers  boring  into  the  flesh,  producing  painful 
sores  which  would  terminate  fatally  if  not  remedied.  They 
made  terrible  looking  fingers  and  toes  in  a short  time.  Our 
bookkeeper  at  Shenge,  a son  of  ex-president  Benson  of  Liberia, 
was  scarcely  able  to  get  about  on  account  of  jiggers  in  his 
feet.  The  wife  of  the  governor  of  Sierra  Leone  had  very  sore 
feet  from  the  same  cause,  and  once  I had  to  get  a surgeon 
on  shipboard  to  dig  jiggers  out  of  one  foot,  the  second  day 
after  sailing  from  Freetown  to  Liverpool.  Wearing  shoes  and 
stockings  was  no  protection  from  the  pest. 


J 72 


CHAPTER  XXXV. 


1885-86 — Elected  Missionary  Bishop — Valedictory  as  Editor  of  Mis- 
sionary Visitor — To  Africa — Secretary  Warner's  Report — The 
Situation  in  Germany. 

The  General  Conference  of  May,  1885,  believed  that  the 
work  in  Africa,  Germany,  and  England  ought  to  have  the 
whole  time  of  one  man,  and  hence  elected  me  bishop  of  the 
foreign  district.  Dr.  Z.  Warner  was  elected  corresponding 
secretary  in  my  place,  and  Rev.  Wm.  McKee  was  chosen  treas- 
urer instead  of  Rev.  J.  K.  Billheimer.  The  Board  of  Mis- 
sions was  charged  with  the  work  of  bringing  the  society’s  ex- » 
penditures  within  the  limits  of  its  receipts,  and  to  provide  for 
the  payment  of  its  debts.  The  following  is  the  report  that 
was  made  at  the  end  of  the  first  year  of  the  new  Board : “Not- 
withstanding all  the  care  we  have  exercised  upon  the  matter 
of  appropriations,  the  expenses  of  our  society  have  exceeded 
the  amount  of  money  received  into  our  treasury,  thereby 
causing  a considerable  increase  of  our  indebtedness.  The 
necessity  is  now  upon  us  to  adopt  a system  of  retrenchment 
which  no  doubt  will  be  seriously  felt  by  our  faithful  mission- 
aries, but  we  hope  they  will  acquiesce  in  the  necessity.  We 
recommend  that  an  effort  be  made  all  over  the  Church  to 
secure  within  the  ensuing  two  years  the  sum  of  $50,000.” 
This  is  the  report  adopted  at  the  annual  meetings  of  1885 
and  of  1886,  and  shows  that  the  new  officers  found  it  as 
difficult  to  retrench  as  did  the  old,  and  made  no  more  progress 
in  paying  debts,  though  it  was  especially  charged  to  do  so. 

The  following  valedictory  was  written  for  the  Missionary 
Visitor:  “I  cheerfully  vacate  the  place  given  me  by  the  Gen- 
eral Conference  twenty-eight  years  ago  to  Dr.  Warner,  my 
successor.  I bespeak  for  him  the  same  hearty  cooperation  of 


173 


Fifty-five  Years  of  Active  Life 

the  friends  of  missions  and  Sunday  schools  which  has  been 
accorded  me.  I am  thankful  to  the  thousands  of  readers  of 
this  paper  for  the  liberal  patronage  given  and  the  forbearance 
they  have  exercised  during  the  twenty  years  I have  been  its 
editor.  It  never  had  but  the  one  editor  till  now,  and  it’s  time 
to  have  a change.  Doctor  Warner  will  no  doubt  greatly  im- 
prove it,  and  in  this  I will  rejoice.  I enter  upon  the  duties  of 
my  office  not  to  attempt  any  new  work,  but  to  accomplish 
more  of  the  same  kind  in  which  I have  been  engaged  in  the 
foreign  missionary  field  for  many  years  past.  I ask  the 
readers  of  the  Visitor  to  remember  me  at  the  throne  of  grace, 
and  not  to  cease  to  pray  and  pay  for  the  cause  of  missions 
both  at  home  and  abroad,  especially  to  remember  Africa  and 
Germany  missions.” 

On  the  twelfth  of  September,  I started  to  Africa  on  a sail 
vessel,  but  did  not  get  there  until  November  6,  owing  to 
unusual  calms.  I reached  Freetown  the  day  two  of  the  mis- 
sionaries, a husband  and  wife,  sailed  for  the  United  States. 
Two  others,  husband  and  wife,  had  left  in  July,  lessening 
the  force  so  much  that  only  two  men  and  their  wives  were 
on  the  field.  I was  charged  with  the  duty  of  putting  the  work 
upon  a basis  that  it  would  cost  only  $8,000  besides  what  the 
African  Missionary  Association  gave,  which  was  about  $5,000 
a year.  I,  in  consultation  with  the  two  men  on  the  field, 
arranged  to  carry  on  the  work  with  $10,000  all  told,  from 
January,  1886  to  1888.  This  was  not  to  include  the  salary 
and  traveling  expenses  of  Mr.  Wilberforce,  in  case  he  was 
sent  back  to  Africa  again,  he  then  being  in  the  United  States 
attending  a medical  college  and  doing  some  lecturing  on 
Africa. 

I had  arranged  with  Doctor  Jones,  secretary  of  the  Freed- 
man’s Missions  Aid,  of  London,  to  be  with  him  at  the 
beginning  of  the  year  1886,  and  left  Africa  December  23, 
1885,  reaching  England  January  10. 

The  Secretary,  Doctor  Warner,  in  his  report  to  the  Board 
in  1886,  said:  “The  spiritual  results  of  our  work  in  Africa 


174 


In  the  Gospel  Ministry 


are  very  gratifying.  One  year  ago  there  were  reported  1,526 
members;  this  year  we  report  2,629.  From  them  we  can 
select  the  men  who  are  to  redeem  the  people  among  whom  we 
are  laboring.  The  foreigner  cannot  evangelize  Africa.  The 
native  church  can,  and  must  do  the  work.  Strong  leaders 
will  be  needed  for  years,  perhaps,  but  the  rank  and  file  of 
Christian  workers  must  be  found  in  the  native  church.  The 
African  missions  sustained  a real  loss  in  the  death  of  Thomas 
Tucker,  our  oldest  convert,  and  pastor  of  Mo-Fuss.  Among 
his  last  words,  he  said : “I  am  ready  to  die  and  go  to  reign 
with  my  Savior.” 

“The  Secretary’s  report  said  of  me : “Bishop  Flickinger  has 
been  in  England  since  early  in  January.  While  in  Africa 
he  visited  all  our  stations,  held  the  annual  meeting  and  or- 
dained one  native  preacher.  This  visit  will  have  a good  influ- 
ence on  our  work  in  the  future.  He  gave  the  value  of  our 
property  in  Africa,  Sherbro  mission,  $9,368.80;  Mendi  side, 
$19,250.00;  total,  $28,618.80.”  Respecting  Germany  he  said: 
“The  annual  meeting  was  held  by  Bishop  Flickinger  April 
21.  By  an  arrangement  with,  and  the  approval  of  the  Board, 
he  will  act  as  presiding  elder  the  coming  year.  The  true 
policy  is  to  use  native  preachers  with  a superintendent  from 
the  United  States.”  During  this  year  Rev.  C.  Bischoff,  the 
founder  of  the  Germany  mission  died.  He  had  been  a suc- 
cessful worker  and  presiding  elder.  The  Secretary  also,  in  his 
report,  referred  to  the  school  in  Walla  Walla,  which  had  ex- 
tended beyond  the  Chinese;  and  as  I was  its  originator,  ref- 
erence is  made  to  it  here : “The  Chinese  population  and  a 
local  church  of  about  thirty  members  and  a flourishing  Sun- 
day school  have  been  organized.  The  school  did  well  among 
the  Chinese,  and  the  Board  was  much  encouraged.  The 
Walla  Walla  conference  had  a healthy  growth,  with  a good 
prospect  for  the  future.” 

The  following  by  me,  published  in  the  Bcligious  Telescope, 
April  23,  1886,  relating  to  the  foreign  missionary  work,  is 
significant  and  explanatory : “I  fully  believe  and  have  for  the 


175 


Fifty -five  Years  of  Active  Life 

last  thirty-seven  years  (my  first  license  to  preach  is  dated 
April,  1849),  that  the  United  Brethren  Church  is  a creature 
of  God’s  providence  and  that  he  who  said,  'Go  ye  into  all  the 
world  and  preach  the  gospel  to  every  creature,’  especially  led 
us  to  commence  and  prosecute  the  mission  work  we  are  now 
doing  in  Africa  and  Germany.  Knowing  these  missions  from 
their  beginning,  and  the  deep  waters  through  which  they  have 
passed,  waters  that  so  often  threatened  to  overwhelm  them 
and  utterly  crush  out  every  vestige  of  United  Brethrenism 
from  these  countries,  with  the  remarkable  victories  which 
followed,  especially  the  great  prosperity  of  the  last  few  years, 
we  should  feel  greatly  encouraged ; for  when  all  is  considered, 
no  missions  in  Africa  or  Germany  have  been  more  successful 
than  ours.  I know  what  Bishop  Taylor  is  doing  in  Africa,  and 
rejoice  in  his  success,  but  reaffirm  the  statement  that  no  mis- 
sions in  Africa  or  Germany  have  been  more  successful  than 
ours.  To  confine  myself  to  Germany  where  I now  am — it  is 
true  that  others  have  more  to  show  here  than  we  have,  and  they 
, have  spent  many  more  thousands  than  we  have  hundreds  of 
dollars  to  accomplish  these  results,  and  are  pushing  their 
work  still  with  a zeal  which  to  them  is  highly  commendable, 
and  ought  to  make  us  a little  ashamed.  Our  ministerial  force 
has  been  much  weakened  by  sickness,  death,  and  apostacy. 
Two  years  ago  we  sent  Brother  Sick  here;  he  has  done  an 
excellent  work  for  Germany,  but,  alas,  he  is  so  afflicted  that 
he  cannot  stay  to  finish  his  term  of  three  years,  and  will  soon 
leave.  In  these  same  two  years  Brothers  Bischof?  and  Sta- 
witzer  died,  and  one  of  our  most  talented  ministers  badly 
fell  from  grace  and  is  no  more  one  of  us. 

“We  still  have  ten  men  whom  we  employ,  but  several  of 
the  young  men  ought  to  go  to  school  a few  years,  and  several 
of  the  older  ones  are  about  worn  out.  After  all,  our  greatest 
draw  back  is  a lack  of  money  to  pay  for  building  and  for 
renting  houses  for  our  missionaries  to  live  and  preach  in. 
Very  few  private  houses  in  Germany  are  suitable  to  hold 
meetings  in,  even  if  they  could  be  had,  which  is  seldom  the 


17G 


In  the  Gospel  Ministry 


case.  The  laity  here  are  as  good  as  in  any  country,  but  mostly 
very  poor.  A few  of  our  people  are  well  to  do,  able  to  pay, 
and  we  expect  them  to  do  so. 

“There  is  a Bible  on  the  table  where  I am  writing  with  a 
likeness  of  Martin  Luther,  which  represents  him  standing,  and 
any, one  familiar  with  his  life  and  work  can  easily  see  in  the 
attitude  that  either  he  had  just  been,  or  soon  would  be  in  a 
severe  struggle  with  the  pope,  some  monks,  or  the  devil.  The 
thought  came  to  me  that  if  some  of  our  rich  brethren  in 
Ohio,  Pennsylvania,  and  Maryland  should  happen  to  meet 
Luther  or  Otterbein  when  they  get  to  heaven,  and  they  should 
introduce  the  subject  of  missions  in  the  Fatherland  and  ask 
them  how  much  money  the  Church  expended  there,  they  would 
feel  a little  ashamed.  We  need  here  $10,000  just  as  soon  as 
it  can  be  gotten  across  the  ocean  to  build  chapels  and  parson- 
ages for  which  we  now  pay  rent,  which  sum  our  poorly  paid 
missionaries  ought  to  have  added  to  their  salaries.  I spent  all 
my  leisure  time  getting  money  for  these  things.” 

An  illustration  of  the  truth  of  the  couplet,  “Large  trees 
from  little  acorns  grow;  large  streams  from  little  streamlets 
flow,”  the  following  is  to  the  point.  When  I was  in  Africa 
the  third  time,  in  1861,  1 took  the  man  in  charge  to  the 
water’s  edge  at  Shenge  where  a large  tree  had  fallen  into 
the  sea,  tearing  a hole  in  the  bank  there.  I told  him  he 
must  watch  that  place,  and  if  the  flow  and  ebb  of  the  tide 
washed  the  ground  away  he  must  hire  a laborer  to  fill  up 
the  hole  with  stones,  which  were  near  there.  That  would  not 
have  cost  over  $5  then.  The  writer  did  not  get  back  to  Africa 
for  ten  years,  when,  to  his  astonishment,  that  tear-out  had 
opened  the  way  for  washing  out  the  bank  a quarter  of  a mile 
along  the  coast  and  an  eighth  of  a mile  inland.  If  it  con- 
tinued, the  encroachment  of  the  sea  would  soon  reach  a good 
well  of  water,  and  then  the  mission  house,  and  greatly  injure 
the  nice  point  of  land  upon  which  the  mission  residence  was 
built.  Tt  was  to  fix  that  bank,  more  than  anything  else,  that 
I went  to  Africa  the  fourth  time,  and  it  cost  at  least  $1,500. 


12 


177 


Fifty-five  Years  of  Active  Life 


and  this  after  a number  of  acres  of  valuable  ground  had  been 
washed  away. 

That  time  I got  there  early  in  the  morning  and  sent  word 
to  chief  Caulker  that  at  4 p.  M.  I would  reach  the  town, 
and  shake  his  hands  and  hold  meeting.  I found  him  all 
cleaned  up,  a nice  grass  mat  for  me  to  stand  on,  and  a stand 
and  Bible  ready.  There  were  about  thirty  persons  present, 
and  he  and  all  knelt  with  me,  as  I prayed.  We  had  a good 
visit  and  all  passed  off  pleasantly.  That  old  chief  became 
a Christian  some  years  later,  and  died  a happy  death. 


178 


CHAPTER  XXXVI. 


18S6-87 — Rufus  Clark  and  Wife  Give  $5.000 — Training  School  Built 
of  Stones  from  Slave  Pen — Process  of  Building. 

I reached  America  from  England  barely  in  time  to  attend 
the  annual  meeting  of  the  Board  of  Missions  in  the  spring 
of  1887.  Before  going  to  my  district,  nearly  a year  before, 
I visited  a few  places  in  Pennsylvania  to  collect  money  for 
chapels  in  Germany,  and  had  secured  about  $1,000  for  that 
purpose.  After  spending  a couple  of  months  in  the  United 
States,  I was  ready  to  start  back  to  England,  to  help  the  sec- 
retary of  the  Freedman’s  Missions  Aid  Association,  August  1, 
when  I received  a letter  from  Rufus  Clark  of  Denver,  Colo- 
rado, requesting  me  not  to  leave  till  August  4,  as  on  that  day 
a suit  at  court  was  to  decide  whether  he  could  then  give  us 
$5,000  for  a training-school  in  Africa.  I had  been  called  to 
Denver  several  years  before  to  look  after  missions  in  that 
city,  and  while  I was  there  lectured  on  Africa.  Mr.  Clark 
became  interested  in  Africa,  and  asked  something  respecting 
its  wants.  He  was  told  of  its  many  needs,  especially  of  the 
need  of  a training-school  in  which  native  teachers  and  preach- 
ers could  be  prepared  to  work  there.  He  seemed  impressed 
with  its  importance,  and  intimated  that  he  might  respond  to 
such  a call  sometime.  His  pastor,  Rev.  W.  Rose,  who  did  a 
good  work  in  Denver  in  building  Smith  chapel  and  parsonage, 
and  I took  Mr.  Clark’s  remarks  to  heart,  and  from  that  day 
until  the  ninth  of  August,  1880,  when  Mr.  Clark  paid  the 
$5,001  to  me,  we  had  cooperated  to  get  the  money.  Many 
letters  had  been  exchanged  between  us,  and  the  following 
telegram  was  sent  me  by  Mr.  Rose,  “Come  and  get  the  money.” 
So  on  the  fourth  day  of  August,  instead  of  leaving  home  for 


179 


Fifty-five  Years  of  Active  Life 


England  I left  for  Denver,  and  on  the  eighth  day  of  August, 
I again  preached  and  lectured  on  Africa  there,  and  the  next 
day  I received  a check  for  $5,060,  the  $60  covering  the  travel- 
ing expenses  from  Willoughby,  Ohio,  to  Denver  and  return. 

On  my  return  trip  1 stopped  to  see  Doctor  Rosenberg  in 
Osage  City,  Kansas,  from  whom  I got  $600  for  the  Germany 
chapel  fund.  I also  stopped  in  Dayton,  Ohio,  and  got  the 
executive  committee  to  appoint  Dev.  J.  M.  Lesher  to  go  to 
Africa  the  following  month  to  commence  building  the  Rufus 
Clark  and  AVife  Training-School  at  Shenge.  Mr.  Clark  had 
made  me  responsible  for  the  erection  of  that  house,  hence  I 
wished  to  select  my  helpers.  I left  the  money  with  the  treas- 
urer of  the  missionary  society  to  be  paid  as  I ordered  it.  On 
the  eighteenth  of  September,  Air.  Lesher  sailed  from  Xew 
York  to  Freetown  in  a sailing  vessel,  but  did  not  get  there 
till  Xovember,  and  did  not  get  the  work  started  until  Decem- 
ber. Air.  Lesher  was  a carpenter  before  he  became  a preacher 
and  missionary,  and  hence  was  the  man  for  the  place.  I did 
not  reach  Africa  until  December  7,  having  to  look  after  some 
things  in  England. 

On  the  last  day  of  January,  1887,  the  corner-stone  was  laid, 
the  walls  having  been  partly  put  up.  That  corner-stone,  and 
many  other  stones  in  the  walls,  were  in  a building  known  as 
John  Xewton’s  slave  pens,  on  the  Plaintain  Island,  three 
miles  from  Shenge.  Air.  Xewton,  at  one  time  a cruel  slave- 
trader,  and  after  his  conversion  a celebrated  minister  of  the 
gospel,  surely  would  have  rejoiced  had  he  been  present  to  see 
the  identical  stones  he  once  used  in  enslaving  men,  now  used 
to  give  them  liberty,  civil  and  religious. 

The  training-school  building  was  sixty-six  feet  long  by 
thirty-one  wide,  three  stories  high,  the  upper  story  being  fur- 
nished with  light  by  large  windows  in  the  roof  and  in  the 
gable  ends.  There  were  two  recitation-rooms,  fourteen  by 
seventeen  feet,  and  a chapel,  twenty-eight  by  thirty  feet,  on 
the  ground  floor.  On  the  second  story  were  ten  rooms,  each 
large  enough  to  accommodate  two  students  in  which  to  lodge 


180 


In  the  Gospel  Ministry 

and  study.  The  third  story  would  accommodate  as  many 
more,  though  not  in  separate  rooms. 

There  were  from  thirty  to  fifty  men  employed  for  five 
months  to  complete  the  building.  The  stone  had  to  be  quar- 
ried on  islands  from  one-half  to  three  miles  from  Shenge, 
then  loaded  into  boats  and  brought  to  the  mission  wharf,  then 
carried  up  a steep  bank,  which  was  at  least  one  hundred  feet 
high,  put  into  a wagon  and  drawn  a quarter  of  a mile  by 
oxen,  before  they  were  dressed  and  laid  up  in  the  wall.  It 
took  a good  many  stones,  and  every  gang  of  men  had  to  have 
a headman.  The  lumber  was  brought  to  Shenge  in  rowboats, 
and  to  the  site  of  building  in  the  same  way  the  stones  were. 
Considering  the  fact  that  it  takes  at  least  three  native  laborers 
to  equal  one  American,  it  will  be  seen  that  to  erect  such  a 
building  was  no  child’s  play.  But  for  the  large  supply  of 
mission  boats,  received  with  the  transfer  of  Mendi  mission, 
the  good  wagon  and  wharf  at  Shenge,  for  procuring  which 
Mr.  Gomer  and  myself  were  severely  criticized,  that  building 
would  not  have  been  erected  in  one  dry  season.  Had  the 
period  of  building  extended  through  the  rainy  season,  it  would 
have  made  it  cost  much  more  than  was  paid  to  procure  the 
wagon  and  wharf,  both  of  which  continued  to  be  very  service- 
able afterward.  Providence  led  to  getting  that  wagon  and 
wharf,  and  Mr.  Gomer’s  good  work  in  Africa  will  never  be 
fully  appreciated.  He  was  a great  help  to  Mr.  Lesher  and 
myself  in  overseeing  laborers  and  pushing  forward  the  build- 
ing. We  had  at  times  three  captains  of  boats,  and  three  other 
gangs  of  men  as  overseers.  We  watched  these  overseers, 
and  the  committee  at  home  watched  us.  The  headmen 
watched  the  laborers,  we  watched  the  headmen,  the  Mission 
Board  at  home  watched  us,  the  Church  watched  the  Board  of 
Missions,  and  God  watched  us  all.  When  they  built  Babel 
there  was  confusion,  and  so  was  there  at  Shenge  building  the 
Clark  training-school. 

Dr.  Z.  Warner,  Secretary  of  the  Board,  said  in  his  report 
made  in  1887 : “The  last  annual  meeting  of  the  African  dis- 


181 


Fifty-five  Years  of  Active  Life 

triet  was  one  of  the  best  in  its  history.  Bishop  Flickinger 
presided,  and  the  net  increase  in  members  was  1,311,  making 
the  whole  number  3,940.  A number  of  our  people  there  died 
during  the  year,  leaving  a strong,  clear  testimony  to  the  power 
of  divine  grace.  Many  are  reported  as  seekers,  but  this  does 
not  mean  that  they  have  not  been  converted,  for  many  of 
them  have  been.  The  number  of  towns  visited  was  387,  an 
increase  of  eighty-four  over  the  previous  year.  There  is  no 
egotism  in  saying  that  we  are  doing  a work  that  no  other 
church  has  done  up  to  this  time.  A gentleman  of  intelligence, 
not  a member  of  our  Church,  visited  the  African  coast  from 
the  mouth  of  the  Congo  to  Freetown,  and  said  the  reputation 
of  our  mission  is  the  best  of  any  along  the  coast.  Is  this  true  ? 
If  so  we  owe  it  to  the  faithful  work  of  our  missionaries.''' 

The  following  resolutions  were  passed  unanimously  by  the 
Board  in  annual  session  in  1887,  which,  considering  the  pre- 
vious severe  criticisms  against  the  management  of  the  African 
mission,  were  appreciated: 

“Whereas,  Rev.  J.  Comer,  superintendent  of  Sherbro 
mission,  and  Rev.  J.  A.  Evans,  superintendent  of  Mendi  mis- 
sion in  Africa,  have  gone  forward  in  winning  souls  and  build- 
ing up  the  kingdom  of  the  Redeemer  in  the  midst  of  many 
trials, 

Resolved , 1.  That  we  give  thanks  to  God  for  the  preserva- 
tion of  their  lives  and  health,  and  for  the  good  work  which 
under  God  they  have  performed. 

“2.  That  the  thanks  of  this  Board  are  due,  and  are  hereby 
tendered  to  Mr.  Rufus  Clark  and  wife  of  Denver,  Colorado, 
for  their  generous  gift  of  $5,000  for  the  training-school  in 
Africa. 

“3.  That  we  tender  Bishop  Flickinger  and  Rev.  J.  M. 
Leshef  the  sincere  thanks  of  the  Board  for  their  successful 
management  of  the  erection  of  the  Clark  training-school 
building.  We  are  also  glad  that  Rev.  D.  F.  Wilberforce  has 
already  commenced  said  school,  with  flattering  prospects  of 
success.” 


182 


In  the  Gospel  Ministry 


Of  Germany,  the  Secretary  said,  “The  work  there  is  hope- 
ful. Bishop  Flickinger  has  arranged  for  Rev.  J.  M.  Lesher 
to  spend  some  two  months  in  Germany  to  aid  that  work.  I 
think  this  arrangement  a good  one.” 


183 


CHAPTER  XXXVII. 


1S87-S8 — A Row  Among  the  Workmen — Germany's  Need — Criticise 
Industrial  Work — Horrors  of  Slave  Traffic — Heathen  Burial. 

When  in  Africa  the  tenth  time,  I wrote  February  9,  1887, 
as  follows  for  the  Religious  Telescope:  “I  have  been  pub- 

lishing letters  for  thirty-two  years  respecting  Africa  and  mis- 
sion work  here,  and  have  been  solicited  to  write  more.  The 
building  of  the  Clark  training-school  under  the  leadership 
of  Mr.  Lesher,  the  patient,  the  general  work  of  Mr.  Gomer, 
the  merciful,  and  the  schools  under  Mr.  Wilberforce,  the 
educator,  are  progressing;  not  as  satisfactorily  as  is  desir- 
able, but  those  in  charge  of  them  are  doing  all  they  can  to 
succeed.  The  people  do  not  appreciate  schools,  and  some 
will  not  send  when  they  have  anything  else  for  their  children 
to  do,  or  when  the  mission  does  not  feed  them. 

“Some  of  Mr.  Lesher’s  mechanics  got  into  a drunken  row 
about  a month  ago,  and  had  a quarrel  and  knock-down  with 
our  mission  watchman.  They  took  from  him  the  gun  he 
carried  to  enforce  the  command  he  had  to  give  every  night 
or  two,  ‘Stop  thief !’  to  those  who  were  stealing  our  cassada. 
In  defending  himself  with  a club  he  knocked  out  the  eye 
of  one  of  our  stone  masons.  Because  of  this  the  boat,  with 
Mr.  Gomer,  had  to  go  to  Freetown,  sixty  miles  away,  where 
the  man  who  lost  the  eye  went  to  the  hospital,  and  our  watch- 
man who  knocked  it  out  was  released  on  bail  to  appear  at 
police  court  the  eleventh  inst.,  when  the  boat  went  again. 
These  trips  required  six  rowers,  and  cost  considerable  time 
and  money.  On  the  fourth,  the  foreman  of  the  masons  said 
they  would  all  quit  work.  He  complained  of  Mr.  Lesher,  who 
told  him  he  was  too  drunk  to  do  his  work  properly,  and  that 


184 


In  the  Gospel  Ministry 


the  other  masons  would  get  drunk.  The  worst  of  all  was, 
Mr.  Lesher  told  the  truth.  How  true,  as  one  of  our  drunken 
men  said,  Tt’s  all  well  enough  for  American  ministers  to  tell 
us  not  to  get  drunk ; if  they  would  keep  alcoholic  drinks  from 
coming  here,  we  might  listen  to  them.’  ” 

My  work  in  England  and  Germany  during  this  year  kept 
me  quite  busy.  To  give  the  reader  an  idea  of  how  many 
things  were  expected  of  me,  I here  insert  a few  extracts  from 
letters  written : “The  annual  district  meeting  of  Germany 
was  held  May  25  and  26.  On  the  twenty-fourth  and  part  of 
the  following  day,  the  ministerial  association  met  in  the 
same  place,  Gollnow,  Pommern.  These  meetings  are  gen- 
erally held  in  the  same  place  and  at  the  same  time,  otherwise 
our  missionaries  could  not  attend  both  on  account  of  expense 
of  travel.  I was  to  have  been  there,  but  owing  to  Brother 
Lesher  not  reaching  London  from  Africa  in  time,  he  and  I 
did  not  get  there  till  the  twenty-fifth,  missing  the  ministerial 
association.” 

The  business  of  the  missionary  district  was  all  attended  to 
in  a day  and  a half,  and  the  meetings  at  night  were  good. 
The  success  of  the  year  was  highly  encouraging.  There  was 
a not  ga.in  of  one  hundred  and  forty-four  members,  after  los- 
ing ninety-eight  by  death,  removals,  and  expulsion,  and  more 
money  was  raised  by  them  than  ever  before.  The  work  of 
the  presiding  older  of  the  district  was  in  my  hands,  and  I 
induced  Mr.  Lesher  to  hold  one  round  of  quarterlies.  To  get 
halls  and  places  to  preach  in  required  considerable  money, 
and  hence  I did  all  I could  to  collect  money  to  build  chapels, 
both  in  the  United  States  and  in  Germany. 

This  year  I tried  to  get  chapels  built  in  Germany  and 
named  after  Rosenburg  and  Bischoff,  writing  in  our  Church 
papers  as  follows : “Friends  of  Germany  mission,  shall  we 
not  have  your  help  to  build  these  two  chapels?  There  is 
$1,200  to  come  from  interest  on  the  $10,000  Mrs.  Bischoff 
gave  the  Board,  and  $400  more  from  Doctor  Rosenburg’s  life- 
loan  as  interest : these  sums  with  the  cash  on  hand  make 


1S5 


Fifty-five  Years  of  Active  Life 

$2,350.95.  With  this  amount  doubled  they  can  be  built,  but 
there  ought  to  be  $3,000  for  each,  as  they  are  to  be  iu  large 
towns  where  lots  are  dear.” 

I also  wrote  early  in  June,  1887,  that  one  thing  seemed 
strange;  namely,  that  the  statements  made  by  missionaries 
were  often  misunderstood  and  criticised,  and  their  course  con- 
demned by  committees  and  boards,  when  they  made  roads, 
built  houses,  and  taught  the  natives  how  to  work.  I quoted 
what  a member  of  our  own  Board  said,  “We  don’t  raise  mis- 
sionary money  to  build  wharfs,  and  shops,  and  to  carry  on 
business  with.”  Having  attended  a number  of  May  anni- 
versary meetings  of  different  mission  boards  in  London,  Eng- 
land, including  the  Moravians,  who  are  a model  people  for 
mission  work,  and  having  heard  their  reports,  I was  fully 
satisfied  that  few  if  any,  had  achieved  the  same  success  in 
their  foreign  mission  fields  of  the  same  kind  that  we  had  in 
Africa  and  Germany.  It  must  be  remembered  that  in  each 
of  these  we  were  publishing  papers,  and  that  both  paid  ex- 
penses of  publication,  and  a little  more ; that  we  had  increased 
in  membership  so  rapidly  that  it  became  a serious  matter 
what  to  do  with  them.  I told  the  brethren  when  in  Africa 
last,  to  pay  much  attention  to  those  whose  names  were  upon 
our  church  books,  and  not  seek  so  much  to  get  new  members. 
Concerning  this,  Brother  Evans  wrote : “We  tried  to  carry  out 
your  instructions,  but  still  the  increase  on  the  Mendi  District 
during  the  quarter  was  over  one  hundred.  If  the  increase  on 
the  other  two  districts  is  proportionately  as  large,  we  have 
now  in  Africa  about  4,500.” 

I said  further:  “It  is  apparent  that  with  the  training- 
school  in  Africa  and  our  paper,  the  Early  Baiun,  and  our 
large  itinerant  force  we  are  rapidly  multiplying  our  facil- 
ities there  for  work.  Then  in  Germany,  with  the  Heilsbote, 
the  publication  of  our  minutes  in  pamphlet  form,  the  an- 
nual almanac,  and  ten  preachers  who  preach  at  the  rate  of 
fifty  sermons  a week,  our  success  is  assured  if  we  do  our 
duty  in  giving  them  reasonable  financial  support.”  I added: 


186 


In  the  Gospel  Ministry 


“It  was  a providential-  leading  that  we  became  acquainted 
with  the  Freedman’s  Aid  Society,  which  has  helped  us  to 
several  thousand  dollars  and  will  continue  to  help  in  the 
future.  They  have  paid  since  General  Conference  of  1885, 
in  round  numbers  $9,910.  There  are  hundreds  of  other  good 
objects  in  England  for  which  money  is  asked,  such  as  ragged 
schools,  hospitals,  foreign  missions  of  other  boards,  and  many 
charitable  enterprises  here  in  London.” 

It  will  be  seen  from  the  foregoing  that  my  cares  and  re- 
sponsibilities were  heavy  this  year.  Having  selected  the  loca- 
tion of  the  African  mission,  and  stoutly  advocated  its  prose- 
cution, and  having  had  an  active  part  in  operating  the  mission 
in  Germany,  and  by  my  persistent  efforts  having  kept  the 
Church  from  abandoning  both  these  fields,  now  that  pros- 
perity attended  them,  and  more  than  a score  of  white  men 
had  been  employed,  besides  many  native  Africans,  and  great 
sums  of  money  were  being  expended  upon  them,  I felt  to 
praise  God  for  what  was  being  done;  but  I also  realized  the 
need  of  much  care  and  watchfulness,  lest  there  be  a retro- 
grade movement  and  much  evil  should  befall  those  two  mis- 
sion districts,  which  were  the  only  foreign  missions  the 
Church  had  then.  I prayed  often  that  God  would  keep  me 
and  others  from  indiscretion,  and  from  doing  the  wrong 
thing. 

As  illustrative  of  the  truth  that  the  dark  places  of  the 
earth  are  full  of  the  habitations  of  cruelty,  the  following  is 
to  the  point:  I reached  Rotifunk  from  Shenge,  late  one 

evening,  just  after  a caravan  of  slaves  had  been  put  into  a 
pen  there.  Going  into  the  enclosure  I saw  naked  men,  women, 
and  children;  some  were  tied,  together  with  ratan  bark  or 
vines,  the  babies  being  tied  to  the  women’s  backs.  They  were 
poor,  hungry,  tired  creatures.  Returning  at  daylight  the 
next  morning  they  >vere  gone.  Passing  over  the  road  along 
which  they  went,  a couple  of  days  later,  a terrible  stench  was 
present.  In  explanation,  some  of  my  men  said  this  was  the 
woods  where  they  carry  small-pox  patients  to  die,  and  there 


187 


Fifty-five  Years  of  Active  Life 

was  one  dead  baby  there.  Evidently  one  of  the  babies  belong- 
ing to  the  slave  party  had  been  restless  and  annoyed  the  slave 
driver,  and  he  cut  its  head  off  and  put  its  body  among  the 
small-pox  dead. 

While  at  Shenge  I followed  a funeral  procession  to  a bury- 
ing ground.  Reaching  an  open  place  in  the  woods,  they  went 
a few  rods  from  the  path  leading  to  another  village,  and  put 
down  the  corpse,  and  then  dug  a grave.  With  cutlasses  they 
loosed  the  ground,  and  with  their  hands  they  scraped  it  to 
one  side,  until  a place  was  made  large  enough  to  put  the 
corpse  in.  The  corpse  was  rolled  in  a country  cloth,  bark 
being  used  to  keep  the  cloth  around  it.  The  loose  earth  was 
then  put  on  the  body,  which  was  barely  covered.  I saw  while 
there  the  foot  of  another  corpse,  which  had  been  buried  shortly 
before,  that  had  not  been  covered  with  earth.  All  was  quiet 
till  the  burial  was  completed,  when  they  set  up  a terrible 
howl  and  kept  it  up  by  fits  and  starts  for  an  hour.  Then  they 
danced  and  were  giddy  awhile,  and  then  they  howled  again. 

Once  in  a rowboat,  passing  to  a town  not  far  from  Bonthe, 
I requested  my  men  to  land  the  boat  at  a big  tree.  They 
looked  frightened  and  pulled  to  within  about  one  hundred 
feet  of  the  tree,  when  one  said,  “Massa,  big,  big  devil  live  at 
that  tree,  and  if  we  go  there  he  come  and  kill  us  all.”  Xot 
being  able  to  get  them  to  go  near  the  tree,  we  landed  a few 
hundred  feet  below.  I then  walked  to  the  tree,  struck  it  with 
a stick,  and  dared  the  devil  to  come  out  and  hurt  me.  The 
roots  extended  out  of  the  ground  and  I sat  on  different  ones, 
but  could  not  get  one  of  my  men  near.  They  said,  “Ah,  white 
man  sabbe,  know  more  than  devil,  but  black  man  don’t.” 
Some  of  the  roots  extended  into  the  water,  and  the  current 
being  strong  there,  a ripple  was  caused  in  the  water,  which 
they  supposed  the  devil  made. 


188 


CHAPTER  XXXY111. 


18SS-8!) — Appreciation  of  .T.  (iomer — Thirty-two  Years  of  Service — 
Division  in  the  Church — Signed  the  Proclamation. 

My  work  in  the  years  of  ’88  and  ’89  was  closely  related  to 
an  epoch  in  my  life  which  well  nigh  separated  me  from  the 
foreign  mission  field  for  a time.  These  years  of  my  minis- 
terial life  will  be  largely  represented  bv  what  others  said  of 
me  and  what  I wrote  during  that  period. 

The  following  is  copied  from  the  minutes  of  the  annual 
meeting  of  the  Board  of  Missions,  which  met  May  7,  1889, 
two  days  before  the  General  Conference: 

“M  hereas,  Rev.  «T.  Gomer  and  wife  have  returned  in  safety 
to  America,  after  an  absence  of  seven  years,  spent  in  earnest 
missionary  labors,  in  western  Africa, 

" Resolved , 1.  That  we  hereby  express  to  them  our  hearty 
thanks  for  their  earnest  and  successful  labors,  and  our  will- 
ingness to  continue  them  in  their  service,  for  time  to  come. 

“2.  That  this  Board  hereby  expresses  its  confidence  in  the 
work  of  Rev.  J.  A.  Evans  of  Mendi  mission,  and  Rev.  D.  F. 
Wilberforee,  principal  of  the  Clark  theological  training-school, 
and  prays  the  blessing  of  God  upon  them  and  their  work  in 
the  years  to  come. 

“3.  That  the  thanks  of  this  Board  are  due,  and  hereby 
are  tendered  Bishop  Flickinger  for  his  diligence  and  faith- 
fulness in  superintending  our  foreign  missions  during  the 
last  quadrennium  ; and,  whereas,  he  and  others  report  that 
industrial  schools  for  the  training  of  boys  and  girls  in  Africa, 
are  an  important  factor  in  lifting  up  the  people  from  the  state 
of  barbarism  to  that  of  Christian  civilization,  therefore,  Re- 
solved, That  we  look  with  favor  on  the  plan  of  establishing 
such  schools  in  Africa  in  the  near  future.” 


189 


Fifty-five  Years  of  Active  Life 


Dr.  J.  W.  Hott,  who  was  then  editor  of  the  Religious  Tele- 
scope, and  before  that  time  had  been  the  treasurer  of  the  mis- 
sionary society,  and  hence  was  well  acquainted  with  its  work 
and  workers  for  twenty  years,  was  present  at  that  annual 
meeting,  and  wrote  the  following  respecting  Mr.  Gomer  and 
myself : “That  veteran  missionary  of  Africa,  Eev.  Joseph 
Gomer,  just  home  from  that  far  off  land,  was  present.  He 
comes  like  a battle-scarred  soldier  of  Jesus.  On  the  first  of 
December,  1870,  he  and  his  faithful  wife  went  to  Africa. 
He  at  once  inaugurated  the  system  of  itinerating  in  Africa. 
Since  that  time  they  have  only  visited  our  country  twice,  in 
1876,  and  again  in  1882.  For  seven  years  he  has  labored 
incessantly  in  that  terrible  climate.  He  is  now  here  for  a 
session  of  rest.  He  will  soon  be  fifty-five  years  old.  God 
has  wonderfully  spared  and  blessed  his  life.  Bishop  Flick- 
inger  is  also  fresh  from  Germany  and  Africa,  and  though  just 
home  from  his  eleventh  visit  to  Africa,  he  is  fresh  and  vigor- 
ous as  in  the  years  gone  by.  He  has  crossed  the  Atlantic 
Ocean  twenty-two  times,  but  often  by  the  long  route  of  Eng- 
land, making  an  equivalent  of  not  less  than  thirty  crossings 
of  the  ocean.  He  has  stood  in  the  front  of  our  mission  work 
as  a Church  for  thirty-two  years,  for  it  is  now  thirty-two 
years  since  he  was  first  chosen  secretary  of  the  missionary 
society.  Two  years  before  his  entering  upon  the  secretary- 
ship, he  had  gone  to  Africa  as  one  of  the  first  company  of 
missionaries  our  Church  ever  sent  abroad.  Eternity  alone  will 
unfold  the  wonderful  results  of  his  toil.  The  Church  will 
warmly  welcome  him  home  again.” 

The  part  I took  to  prevent  the  unfortunate  division  which 
took  place  at  the  General  Conference  of  1889,  deserves  men- 
tion here.  I wrote  to  Bishop  Castle,  February,  1887,  enclosing 
a letter  from  Dr.  C.  H.  Kiracofe,  as  follows: 

“Dear  Bishop  Castle  : Just  before  the  enclosed  from  C. 
H.  Kiracofe  was  published  in  the  Telescope,  I had  jotted 
some  things  in  the  same  train  of  thought  to  publish.  Tt  con- 
taining substantially  what  I wrote,  I did  not  send  mine  to  the 


190 


In  the  Gospel  Ministry 


Telescope.  I write  you  to  ask  what  objection  there  is  to  pur- 
suing the  course  he  advises.  I have  not  so  much  objection  to 
the  Commission  paper,  as  I have  to  the  how,  and  when,  and 
where  of  it.  Xow  if  the  vote  to  be  taken  in  1888  is  a two- 
thirds  majority,  then  let  that  be  the  request  for  a change  of 
Constitution,  and  let  the  General  Conference  of  1889  formu- 
late a paper  to  send  down  to  the  people.  If  the  paper  thus 
sent  down  be  substantially  what  the  present  Commission  is, 
and  if  it  gets  a two-thirds  vote,  all  will  be  right.  In  that  case 
Doctor  Davis,  Bishops  Wright  and  Dickson,  Revs.  Dillon  and 
Miller  of  Auglaize,  Bamaby  and  Titus  of  Michigan,  Floyd 
and  Ivirac-ofe  of  White  River  conferences,  and  a number  of 
other  first-class  men,  could  not  complain,  and  their  power 
would  largeW  be  broken,  so  that  they  would  not  have  half 
the  following  that  they  will  have  -under  the  present  Commis- 
sion paper.  As  a matter  of  course,  some  of  the  Commission 
leaders  will  cry  out  against  any  compromise,  and  insist  that 
it  must  go  through  as  now.  I will  join  with  you,  Bishop 
Dickson,  and  Bishop  Wright  in  advocating  before  the  next 
General  Conference  some  measure  to  give  the  Church  a chance 
to  vote  for  a new  Constitution,  and  do  it  so  that  it  cannot 
be  said  it  was  done  in  violation  of  our  present  Constitution. 
If  you  think  there  is  enough  in  it  to  write  Bishops  D.  and 
W.,  do  so.  While  I can  live  under  our  present  Constitution, 
I believe  there  is  a change  needed.  I only  wish  that  which  is 
for  the  best.” 

Bishop  Castle  did  not  think  it  wise  to  unite  with  me  and 
Bishop  Wright  and  Bishop  Dickson,  who  was  then  thought  to 
be  quite  radical,  to  bring  about  the  end  sought  by  me.  As  a 
matter  of  fact,  that  was  a time  when  good  men  were  greatly 
perplexed,  and  there  was  a great  conflict  and  struggle  between 
their  convictions  of  right,  and  what  best  to  do  to  save  the 
Church  from  division  and  its  consequent  evils.  The  following 
reply  from  Bishop  Castle’s  last  letter  to  me  shows  this : “I 
would  be  in  favor  of  any  reasonable  adjustment.  Peace  to 
the  Church,  though  it  be  secured  at  great  personal  cost,  is 


191 


Fifty-five  Years  of  Active  Life 


a measure  of  great  wisdom;  but  I see  no  way  of  securing  it 
by  any  change  of  method  that  can  acquire  any  considerable 
or  sufficient  advocacy  to  make  it  potential  in  that  line;  the 
danger  is  that  of  utter  demoralization  of  methods  so  that 
there  will  be  none  to  guide  us.” 

When  I reached  Chambersburg  to  attend  the  annual  meet- 
ing of  the  Board  of  Missions,  Bishop  Weaver  presented  me 
with  a paper  known  as  a proclamation,  recorded  in  proceed- 
ings of  the  General  Conference  of  1889,  page  173.  As  I had 
been  in  the  United  States  only  for  occasional  visits  during 
the  quadrennium  and  had  just  reached  Xew  York  from  my 
district  in  the  foreign  field  a few  days  before,  I told  Bishop 
Weaver  that  I could  not  sign  the  paper  until  I made  some 
inquiry  as  to  whether  all  the  steps  taken  were  regular  and 
right.  This  was  at  the  noon  adjournment  of  the  Board.  He 
brought  the  paper  again  that  evening,  but  still  I was  not  ready 
to  sign  it,  as  I had  had  but  little  opportunity  to  make  inquiries. 
That  night  I inquired  of  several  of  the  members  of  the  Board 
of  Missions  and  two  of  the  bishops,  who  said  that  they  be- 
lieved the  vote  represented  the  honest  expression  of  our  people. 
Xext  morning  I signed  the  paper. 

It  is  said  that  a certain  Dutchman  had  eaten  something 
which  disagreed  with  him,  whereupon  he  said  that  he  had  swal- 
lowed that  thing  down,  and  now  he  wished  he  could  swallow 
it  up  again;  so  we  sometimes  wish  we  could  do.  A half- 
witted genius,  who  once  went  deer-hunting  with  experienced 
hunters,  was  told  to  scare  the  deer  out  of  a swamp.  He  in- 
sisted that  he  should  be  given  a gun.  They  gave  him  a mus- 
ket heavily  loaded,  thinking  that  its  kicking  would  satisfy 
him.  Four  deer  soon  came  within  shooting  range,  when  he 
blazed  away;  the  musket  knocked  him  down  and  burnt 
his  eye-winkers  some,  but  he  killed  two  deer.  They  ran  to 
him,  expecting  him  to  complain  of  the  gun  being  so  heavily 
loaded,  when  he  said,  “If  you  had  loaded  that  gun  right,  with 
a full  load,  I would  have  killed  all  four  of  the  deer  at  one 
shot,  instead  of  only  two  of  them.” 


192 


REV.  I.  N.  CAIN 
Massacred  in  Africa,  May  3,  1898 


MRS.  MARY  M.  CAIN 
Massacred  in  Africa,  May  3,  1898 


CHAPTER  XXXIX. 


1889-90 — Reviews  of  Progress — Appreciation  of  Aid  from  Other  Mis- 
sionary Associations — Men  Who  Did  Things — Triumphant  Native 
Christians— Tom  Tucker — Christian  Poisoned  by  Mohammedans. 

I wish  next  to  refer  to  the  progress  of  several  projects  which 
I had  strongly  advocated  during  the  quadrennium  ending 
May,  1889.  Of  the  Missionary  Visitor,  which  I had  begun 
and  edited  for  twenty  years,  the  new  Secretary  of  the  Mission- 
ary Board  said  in  his  report : “It  is  not  the  easiest  thing  to  give 
satisfaction  to  all  in  a paper  designed  both  for  Sunday  schools 
and  the  Missionary  Society,  and  yet  the  Missionary  Visitor 
has  held  its  own  remarkably  well  with  the  Children’s  Friend.” 
The  Children’s  Friend  was  in  the  field  long  before  the  Visitor, 
and  was  purely  a Sunday-school  paper. 

That  report  had  this  to  say  respecting  the  Church  Erection 
Society : “In  comparison  with  what  it  did  in  preceding  quad- 
renniums,  it  did  fairly  well  during  the  past  four  years,  but 
in  view  of  the  vastness  of  the  work  to  be  done,  the  urgent  calls 
for  help,  and  the  ability  of  the  Church  to  render  aid,  our  work 
is  so  little  as  to  humble  the  Board  and  the  Church.  How- 
ever, the  treasurer’s  figures  show  that  a noble  work  has  been 
accomplished.  In  sixteen  years  preceding  1885,  the  society 
had  collected  $20,374.98,  and  in  the  last  four  years  it  has 
collected  $12,325.39  in  new  funds;  about  two-fifths  of  this 
was  in  bequests.  From  1869,  when  the  society  was  organized, 
till  1885,  there  were  seventy-five  houses  aided.  In  the  four 
years  just  gone,  sixty-nine  houses  were  helped;  in  all  144.” 

Another  thing  which  greatly  cheered  me  was  the  wonderful 
manner  in  which  God  helped  me  to  get  money  for  our  foreign 
missions  in  Africa  and  Germany.  During  the  seven  years 
preceding  May,  1889,  the  American  Missionary  Association 


13 


193 


Fifty- five  Years  of  Active  Life 

of  New  York  City  gave  $39,000,  including  the  $9,600  it  fur- 
nished for  building  the  steamer  John  Brown.  In  addition  to 
this  it  gave  us  lands  and  buildings  and  other  things  worth 
thousands  of  dollars.  The  Freedman’s  Missions  Aid  Society 
of  London,  England,  gave  us  $13,000.  Both  the  New  York 
and  London  associations  put  the  United  Brethren  Church 
under  many  obligations  to  them.  Their  help  in  time  of  great 
need  was  providential,  and  ought  to  call  forth  sincere  grati- 
tude to  God. 

Then,  in  addition  to  these  large  sums  which  had  been  espe- 
cially given  to  Africa  by  agencies  outside  of  the  Church,  Mr. 
Bufus  Clark  and  wife  of  Denver,  Colorado,  gave  $5,000  for 
the  training-school  in  Africa,  and  Mrs.  Bischoff,  the  wife  of 
our  first  missionary  to  Germany,  gave  $10,000  for  missions 
in  that  country.  Thus  in  ways  wonderful  God  helped  us  to 
get  about  $85,000  for  the  foreign  mission  work.  But  for 
these  large  gifts  the  Board  could  not  have  done  the  work  it 
did  in  Germany  and  Africa. 

Many  heavy  financial  and  other  burdens  have  been  borne 
by  the  men  and  women  in  the  Church,  which,  in  the  present 
good  times  and  with  the  great  facilities  now  at  hand  for  car- 
rying forward  church  enterprises,  would  not  be  so  crushing 
now  as  then.  If  the  scope  of  this  book  assumed  to  give  a 
history  of  the  interests  to  which  I frequently  refer,  I could 
name  many  men  and  women  who  hore  heavy  burdens  and 
toiled  hard  for  the  success  of  the  Church,  but  since  this  is 
more  largely  a personal  narrative,  I need  not  attempt  to  name 
them. 

General  Grant  never  surrendered,  it  is  said,  because  he  did 
not  know  when  he  was  whipped.  So  the  noble  men  and  wo- 
men of  our  Church  kept  on  fighting  sin  and  church  debts 
until  they  were  compelled  to  stop,  when  they  picked  the 
flints  of  their  guns,  and  went  at  it  again,  until  what  seemed 
like  defeat  was  turned  into  victory.  Thank  God  for  such  men 
and  women,  past,  present,  and  to  come.  Our  printing  estab- 
lishment and  Seminary  at  Dayton,  the  colleges  all  over  this 


194 


In  the  Gospel  Ministry 


country  and  in  Africa,  and  our  tnissionary,  church-erection, 
and  Sunday-school  interests  are  sure  to  find  the  men  and 
women,  who,  in  the  future,  as  now  and  in  the  past,  “do 
things.” 

But  not  to  make  the  material  progress  of  the  work  of  mis- 
sions the  main  thing,  I wish  to  give  some  results  of  our  mis- 
sion work  in  Africa,  as  these  were  manifested  in  the  good 
lives  and  happy  deaths  of  our  converts 'there. 

The  first  churches  in  Africa  were  organized  in  1876,  at 
Bompetook  and  Shenge.  At  Bompetook  there  was  a wo- 
man named  Hannah,  who  united  with  the  Church.  Her 
heathen  husband  flogged  her  and  in  other  ways  cruelly  treated 
her,  yet  she  alwa}rs  came  to  meeting,  her  face  radiant  with 
joy,  such  as  the  Holy  Ghost  alone  can  give.  That  being  the 
first  organization  the  United  Brethren  Church  had  in  Africa, 
there  was  some  bitter  persecution  in  store  for  those  who  went 
into  it,  especially  for  Hannah,  whose  husband  did  all  he 
could  to  cause  his  wife  to  go  back  to  heathen  practices.  Nine 
months  of  suffering  from  him  and  faithfulness  to  God,  and 
he  took  her  to  heaven.  She  told  her  husband  and  others  who 
opposed  her  that  she  had  forgiven  them,  and  that  she  was 
going  to  a better  country  than  Africa. 

There  was  another  woman,  an  old  slave,  named  Quiah  Mam- 
mie,  who  was  converted  at  Shenge,  who  lived  a faithful  Chris- 
tian for  three  years.  No  night  was  so  dark,  or  weather  so  bad, 
as  to  keep  her  from  prayer-meeting,  which  was  held  in  the 
chapel  a full  half-mile  from  where  she  lived.  She  had  been 
a bitter  opposer  of  religion,  and  said  hard  things  against  it 
and  its  advocates,  but  finally  she  submitted  to  God.  After 
that  she  never  missed  a meeting,  day  or  night,  if  she  could 
possibly  be  present.  She  always  took  part,  praying  and  talk- 
ing in  Sherbro.  Three  years  she  thus  lived  happy  in  the  serv- 
ice of  God.  At  noon  one  day  word  came  that  she  was  dying. 
Mr.  Gomer  and  I went  to  see  her.  She  was  lying  on  the 
ground  on  a grass  mat  just  outside  of  the  mud  hut  she  lived 
in.  The  mat  was  only  half  as  long  as  her  body,  and  she  had 


195 


Fifty -five  Years  of  Active  Life 


a bunch  of  dirty  rags  for  a ‘pillow.  A few  women  sat  around 
her.  Mr.  Gomer  asked  her  if  all  was  well;  she  nodded,  Yes; 
and  then  we  knelt  and  prayed,  and  in  a few  moments  Quiah 
Mammie  bade  adieu  to  earth,  and  with  a smile  and  halo  of 
glory  and  victory  in  her  countenance,  visible  to  all,  passed 
away. 

Still  another  case  at  Shenge  was  Na-you-kin,  a one-eyed 
woman  and  a very  bitter  enemy  of  religion,  who  often  vexed 
us  missionaries.'  She  showed  her  contempt  for  missionaries 
and  their  teachings  in  a marked  manner;  but  after  some 
years  of  such  a course  she  became  a humble  Christian,  and 
bore  privation  and  suffering  with  much  resignation.  The  last 
time  I saw  her  alive,  she  was  reclining  on  the  sunny  side  of 
a large  cotton  tree,  to  find  warmth  for  the  chill  of  death,  hav- 
ing a coarse  coffee  sack  wrapped  about  her  body,  but  in  happy 
prospect  of  heaven,  to  which  her  spirit  went  a few  days  after- 
ward. 

Bishop  Hott,  then  editor  of  the  Beligious  Telescope,  writing 
of  the  deaths  of  these  African  women,  said : “They  went  from 
rags  to  glory.”  It  was  indeed  a great  change  in  their  case, 
from  bondage  to  liberty,  and  from  rags  to  glory.  They  were 
wonderful  trophies  of  saving  grace. 

Then  there  was  Bev.  Tom  Tucker,  who  came  to  the  mission 
an  ignorant,  nude,  filthy  youth  of  eighteen  years  of  age,  and 
begged  to  stay  there.  He  was  made  a common  laborer  for 
one  year,  then  headman  of  the  mission  farm,  and,  soon  after 
that,  captain  of  a mission  boat.  In  about  three  years  he  be- 
came a Christian.  He  commenced  studying,  finding  it  hard 
work  to  learn  to  read,  but  he  persevered  until  he  could  read 
in  the  New  Testament  fairly  well.  One  thing  he  did  know 
how  to  do  well — to  offer  to  God  the  effectual,  fervent  prayer, 
and  to  win  the  heathen  around  him  to  Christ.  In  due  time 
he  was  licensed  to  preach  and  a large  circuit  was  given  him. 
Chief  Neal  Caulker  also  made  him  a sub-chief  in  the  country 
where  he  labored,  a district  containing  about  thirty  towns, 
where  he  preached  the  gospel  and  administered  the  law,  doing 


196 


In  the  Gospel  Ministry 


both  in  a satisfactory  manner.  The  last  time  I saw  him  was 
at  the  annual  district  meeting  held  in  the  spring  of  1885, 
when  he  was  so  filled  with  the  light  and  love  of  God  that  it 
beamed  from  his  countenance  in  a manner  easily  observed. 
That  Sabbath  was  a most  blessed  day  to  him,  and  all  present, 
when  a number  of  white  missionaries  and  their  wives  were 
present.  Best  of  all,  God  was  there  to  bless.  Tom  died  sud- 
denly the  following  September,  triumphantly  assuring  those 
who  were  with  him  that  all  was  well. 

There  was  a Mohammedan  who  was  poisoned  because  he 
became  a Christian.  Great  emoluments  had  been  promised 
him  if  he  would  return  to  Mohammedanism  and  terrible 
threats  made  if  he  would  not,  and  these  threats  were  fulfilled. 
He  was  faithful  till  death  removed  him  from  time  to  eter- 
nity. He  was  married  to  one  of  the  mission  girls  some- 
time after  he  became  a Christian,  and  she  stood  by  him 
heroically  through  all  his  sufferings.  They  truly  suffered 
for  Christ,  and  no  doubt  now  reign  with  him  in  heaven. 

Then  there  was  Johnny  Williams,  who  from  nine  or  ten 
years  of  age  till  his  death,  at  iourteen,  lived  an  exemplary 
life  and  did  excellent  missionary  work.  He  was  a good  inter- 
preter, led  the  singing  well,  and  closed  meetings  with  prayer 
when  requested.  He  cheerfully  waded  swamps  and  endured 
hardships  to  help  hold  meeting.  May  be  in  this  way  his  death 
was  hastened,  he  dying  from  African  scrofula,  or  “knot  dis- 
ease,” as  the  Africans  called  it.  After  he  could  no  longer  go 
abroad  he  and  his  mother  stopped  half  a mile  from  the  mis- 
sion house  near  Shenge.  The  school  children,  at  his  request, 
visited  him  every  few  days  to  sing  and  pray  with  him  after 
school  closed  in  the  evening.  One  day  he  sent  word  that  they 
should  be  sure  to  come  that  evening.  When  they  arrived  he 
told  them  that  he  would  die  that  night,  and  asked  them  to 
sing  the  hymns  commencing,  “Thou,  My  Everlasting  Por- 
tion,” ‘“Nearer,  My  God,  to  Thee,”  and,  “I  Am  Sweeping 
Through  the  Gates.”  They  sang  the  first  hymn  and  c-om- 


197 


Fifty -jive  Years  of  Active  Life 

menced  the  second,  but  before  they  finished  it  Johnny’s  soul 
swept  through  the  gates,  and  he  was  at  rest. 

Another  name  to  be  considered  is  David  Louding,  of  whom 
I need  say  but  little,  as  he  was  spoken  of  in  the  thirtieth  chap- 
ter of  this  book.  Suffice  it  to  say  he  was  one  of  the  first  mis- 
sion boys  we  received,  and  he  excelled  in  every  study  he  under- 
took. He  became  a Christian  when  about  thirteen  or  fourteen, 
lived  an  excellent  life,  and  died  a peaceful,  happy  death.  He 
was  anxious  to  live  to  work  in  Africa. 


198 


CHAPTER  XL. 


18!)0-91 — Laid  Around  Loose — Rev.  C.  Bischoff,  Rev.  J.  K.  Billheimer, 
and  other  workers  in  Africa. 


As  I laid  around  loose  more  than  usual  this  year,  having 
no  regular  employment  most  of  the  time,  for  the  first  time 
in  forty  years  I had  time  to  do  some  much-needed  work  on 
my  home  in  Willoughby,  and  to  visit  relatives  and  friends, 
something  I had  not  done  for  about  a score  of  years.  In  this 
way,  and  by  preaching  and  lecturing  on  Africa,  I spent  this 
year,  except  about  four  months,  in  which  time  I solicited 
money  for  Union  Biblical  Seminary  for  a few  weeks,  and 
served  a charge  left  vacant  in  the  Miami  Conference.  I re- 
ceived calls  from  two  colleges  of  the  Church  to  become  a 
soliciting  agent  for  them.  The  manager  of  Union  Biblical 
Seminary  had  me  see  certain  persons  whom  he  regarded  as 
likely  to  give  large  donations  to  that  institution,  but  I learned 
that  they  never  had  any  such  intention. 

It  will  be  remembered  that  I was  told  the  first  year  I trav- 
eled, in  1850,  that  if  any  man  could  preach  on  the  circuit  I was 
sent  to  for  one  year,  his  hide  would  last  him  forty  years.  As 
I was  in  fair  health,  and  had  no  good  reason  for  retiring  from 
the  work  of  the  ministry  and  the  Church,  whose  educational, 
missionary,  and  publishing  interests  I had  been  active  in  pro- 
moting, I felt  like  the  boy  who  was  running  with  all  his  might 
to  reach  a Sunday  school  in  time,  because  he  was  “part  of  the 
concern.”  Feeling  I was  part  of  the  United  Brethren  Church 
made  me  note  all  its  movements  in  Africa  and  America. 

As  there  is  nothing  in  this  year’s  work  that  needs  to  be 
considered  further,  I will  mention  some  of  the  prominent 
workers  in  Africa  and  Germany,  most  of  whom  I had  had  an 


199 


Fifty-five  Years  of  Active  Life 

active  part  in  procuring  for  these  missions  during  the  twenty- 
eight  years  I had  served  as  secretary  of  the  Board  of  Missions, 
and  the  four  years  I was  missionary  bishop  of  those  countries. 

Rev.  C.  Bischoff,  the  founder  of  Germany  mission,  whose 
widow  gave  $10,000  to  that  mission,  had  no  children,  and  that 
bequest  was  made  by  Mr.  Bischoff  upon  my  suggestion.  I 
suggested  that  he  divide  his  estate  into  three  parts,  giving  his 
side  of  the  house  one-third,  one-third  to  his  wife’s  people, 
and  one-third  to  the  Missionary  Society.  He  had  written  his 
will  to  so  dispose  of  his  estate,  hut  had  not  signed  it,  when 
he  was  suddenly  killed  while  riding  in  a buggy,  which  was  over- 
turned by  his  horse  shying  and  going  down  a steep  place  on  a 
hillside.  Mr.  Bischoff  was  an  excellent  organizer  and  ready 
speaker,  and  managed  that  mission  well  from  the  time  he 
commenced  the  work  until  within  a year  or  two  of  his  death, 
when  he  retired  from  active  work  in  the  ministry.  As  helpers 
in  making  that  mission  the  success  it  was  up  to  1889,  thete 
were  the  two  Barkemeyers,  Oehlsclrlegel,  and  Holeshuer,  who 
did  much  hard  work,  while  others  did  well,  also. 

In  Africa  there  were  a number  of  noble  workers  deserving 
high  honor;  Rev.  J.  K.  Billheimer  and  wife,  Dr.  Witt,  Rev. 
0.  Hadley  and  wife,  and  Mr.  Williams,  the  faithful  native 
missionary  who  alone  held  the  fort  for  several  years,  and  at  a 
smaller  salary  than  he  had  been  getting  as  a clerk  in  a store 
in  Freetowm ; Rev.  J.  Gomer  and  wife,  who  did  more  than  any 
others  to  make  Sherbro  mission  a success,  and  did  it  for  many 
years,  in  the  face  of  great  discouragements;  Rev.  C.  A.  Evans 
and  wife,  Mrs.  Mair,  Rev.  R.  FT.  West  and  wife.  Rev.  D.  F. 
Wilberforce  and  wife,  Rev.  J.  M.  Lesher  and  wife,  Rev.  W.  S. 
Sage  and  wife,  and  others. 

Rev.  J.  K.  Billheimer  did  valuable  service,  especially  in 
building  houses,  furnishing  the  heathen  good  rules  to  live 
bv,  and  living  a good  life  among  them.  Mr.  Hadley  and  wife 
gave  the  heathen  a good  insight  into  true  piety,  illustrating 
the  excellences  of  the  Christian  religion.  Mr.  Gomer  and  wife 
stayed  with  them  longer  than  any  others,  and  thus  not  only 


200 


In  the  Gospel  Ministry 

made  their  work  permanent,  but  continually  progressive.  He 
was  an  excellent  manager  of  the  native  headmen,  and  people 
generally.  His  method  was  to  go  to  the  common  people  in 
their  rice  fields  and  mud  huts,  showing  them  sympathy  and 
giving  religious  instruction.  Mrs.  Gomer  made  an  excellent 
home  for  missionaries,  and  did  her  part  in  going  to  meeting 
and  doing  her  duty  when  there.  She  also  taught  many  useful 
lessons  to  girls  and  boys.  Mr.  Evans  was  a systematic 
preacher  and  bookkeeper,  and  his  wife  an  excellent  teacher  of 
naked  children.  Mrs.  Mair,  with  her  good  heart,  ready  wit, 
and  good  sense,  could  manage  the  natives  well.  She  exerted  a 
great  influence  over  the  natives,  and  could  rebuke  them  for 
wrongs  and  retain  their  good  will.  Being  in  charge  at  Roti- 
funk,  she  greatly  reformed  Sourie  Ivessabe,  the  headman 
there,  getting  him  to  put  away  all  his  wives  but  two,  keeping 
his  first  wife  because  she  was  the  first,  and  another  who  could 
talk  English.  When  she  told  him  it  was  bad  to  drink  whisky, 
he  said  it  was  good,  for  it  was  white  men  who  made  it  and 
sent  it  to  Africa,  and  hence  it  must  be  good.  Then  much 
credit  is  due  R.  N.  West  and  D.  F.  Wilberforce  for  preparing 
a course  of  study  and  shaping  an  educational  system.  They 
did  much  to  impress  the  natives  that  they  needed  education, 
and  that  they  could  get  it  if  they  would  apply  themselves. 
They  had  great  influence  over  the  people,  both  in  and  out  of 
the  pulpit,  but  more  especially  in  the  schoolroom,  and  did 
much  good  as  missionaries.  It  is  but  right  to  mention  also 
Messrs.  Lesher  and  Sage,  and  their  wives,  all  of  whom  faith- 
fully labored  for  the  good  of  Africa.  Especially  should  Mr. 
Lesher  be  remembered  for  his  efficient  work  in  superintend- 
ing the  erection  of  the  Rufus  Clark  and  wife  training  and 
theological  school.  Such  a building  could  never  have  been 
erected  but  for  the  oversight  of  a mechanic  such  as  he  was,  he 
having  been  a carpenter  before  h‘e  became  a preacher.  He  was 
also  a good  bookkeeper,  and  rendered  valuable  service  in  that 
respect. 


201 


Fifty-five  Years  of  Active  Life 

There  were  heroic,  faithful  workers  there  in  the  years  pre- 
ceding 1889,  as  there  have  been  since. 

Tn  Africa,  in  dealing  with  native  children  for  doing  wrong, 
we  took  a piece  of  pasteboard  or  a card  about  six  inches 
square,  arid  put  a string  in  two  corners  long  enough  to  reach 
around  the  neck,  with  the  card  hanging  over  the  breast.  On 
that  we  wrote  the  kind  of  wrong  they  were  guilty  of.  If  one 
had  lied  we  wrote  in  large  letters,, “I  am  a liar”;  if  it  were 
stealing,  we  wrote,  “I  am  a thief”;  when  given  to  quarreling, 
we  wrote,  “I  am  quarrelsome”;  or,  “I  am  lazy,”  etc.  They 
dreaded  that  way  of  being  punished  more  than  to  be  flogged, 
and  not  unfrequently  begged  to  have  the  card  taken  off  and  to 
be  flogged  instead. 


202 


CHAPTERS  XLI  AND  XLII. 


1891-92-93 — A United  Brethren  Pastor — Preaching  for  Congregation- 
alists — The  Proprieties — Some  Experiences — Fell  Asleep  at 
Prayer — Among  the  Unfortunates  of  London. 

I once  had  a school  teacher  who  had  an  excellent  faculty  of 
making  comparisons.  He  showed  the  class  in  geography  the 
trinity  of  oceans  hy  saying  that  the  Pacific,  Atlantic,  and 
Indian  oceans  were  one  and  yet  three.  A theological  writer 
used  the  same  illustration  to  explain  the  trinity  of  the  God- 
head. Some  families  are  three  or  more,  and  yet  one.  1 call 
to  mind  a family  of  three  who  were  one  in  every  respect. 
There  were  the  father,  the  mother,  and  their  only  son,  none  of 
whom  could  be  induced,  under  any  circumstances,  to  differ 
from  the  others  respecting  dress,  work,  or  church  operations. 
What  was  the  mind  of  one  the  other  two  agreed  to. 

As  I was  a United  Brethren  pastor  part  of  the  time,  and  a 
Congregational  pastor  most  of  the  fortieth,  forty-first,  and 
forty-second  years  of  my  ministerial  life,  and  without  regular 
work  a few  months  of  eiich  of  these  years,  I will  make  this 
chapter  a trinity  in  the  sense  of  saying  something  of  the  work 
I did  in  each. 

After  the  division  of  the  Church,  in  1889,  owing  to  certain 
things  which  had  occurred,  I did  not  feel  at  home  in  the 
Church,  and  hence  spent  most  of  these  three  years  preaching 
for  Congregationalists,  though  I never  withdrew  from  our 
Church.  Thinking  that  I would  get  over  that  feeling,  I did 
commence  my  forty-first  year  by  taking  charge  of  a United 
Brethren  mission  station  in  my  own  conference.  I spent  three 
months  of  the  previous  year  as  a supply  in  a large  town  on  a 
new  mission,  which  had  been  commenced  hut  a short  time 
previously,  the  meetings  being  held  in  a small  hall.  There  I 


203 


Fifty-five  Years  of  Active  Life 

preached  every  morning  and  night,  and  went  one  mile  into  the 
country  to  preach  in  the  afternoon.  The  country  appoint- 
ment had  a membership  scattered  over  considerable  territory, 
which  caused  me  to  walk  a good  deal.  From  the  beginning 
I resolved  to  buy  a lot  for'  a church  in  the  town,  which  I did 
at  a cost  of  $1,000,  and  secured  subscriptions  for  most  of  the 
money,  going  to  seyeral  other  places  to  get  some  of  it.  The 
lot  was  bought,  and  upon  it  there  was  built  a substantial 
church,  which  is  now  self-supporting  and  doing  well.  The 
quarter  spent  there'  was  an  unusually  busy  one.  Not  having 
been  in  the  regular  work  as  pastor  for  thirty-five  years,  being- 
secretary  of  the  Board  of  Missions  and  missionary  to  Africa, 
I had  to  learn  many  things  anew.  The  methods  of  work  had 
changed,  and  new  measures  had  been  instituted,  so  that  it  was 
like  commencing  anew  in  the  ministry.  All  went  well  enough 
for  several  months  on  the  charge  last  given  me,  when  my  wife 
was  stricken  with  paralysis,  and  was  entirely  helpless  for 
several  weeks.  Because  of  my  being  abroad  so  much  for  sev- 
eral years,  I had  moved  my  family  to  my  wife’s  native  home, 
in  Willoughby,  Ohio,  about  twenty  years  before,  having  bought 
a good  home  there.  I offered  my  resignation,  but  the  official 
board  declined  to  accept  it,  and  provided  a supply  for  a time. 
After  about  six  months  I returned,  but  had  not  been  there 
long  when  the  word  came  that  my  wife  was  in  such  a condition 
that  it  was  necessary  for  me  to  be  at  home,  when  I resigned 
the  charge. 

I had  not  been  at  home  more  than  a few  weeks  until  I was 
offered  a pastorate  by  the  Congregationalists,  at  a point  so 
near  my  home  that  I could  be  there  whenever  necessary.  I 
was  employed  for  one  year,  and  went  to  work.  The  methods 
were  so  different  from  ours,  that  I had  to  learn  how  to  be 
pastor  in  a Congregational  church.  I pleased  the  people 
about  as  well  as  they  pleased  me,  and  that  was  only  tolerably 
well.  Going  there  in  mid-winter,  and  finding  the  majority  of 
the  leading  members  of  the  church  living  from  one  to  three 
miles  from  the  village,  I had  some  long,  muddy  walks.  I have 


204 


In  the  Gospel  Ministry 


a very  distinct  recollection  of  pulling  through  the  mud  afoot, 
when  it  was  well  nigh  impossible  to  do  so.  The  people  were 
always  cordial  in  receiving  me  at  their  homes,  and  much 
interested  in  my  welfare.  Being  few  in  number,  and  scattered 
so  widely  in  a country  with  muddy  roads,  made  it  impossible 
to  have  week-night  prayer-meetings,  so  we  had  week-day 
prayer-meetings  at  two  in  the  afternoon.  There  were  three 
deacons,  one  of  whom  was  not  active  on  account  of  old  age, 
but  one  of  the  best  men  I ever  knew.  I often  saw  him,  though 
he  lived  two  miles  from  the  village.  He  had  a happy  faculty 
of  talking  religion,  and  he  loved  it.  He  never  got  to  hear  me 
preach  except  once.  I preached  his  funeral.  The  other  two 
deacons  were  good  men,  but  one  never  prayed  in  public,  al- 
though he  stood  very  high  in  the  community.  The  other 
deacon  prayed  and  spoke  in  public.  I received  seven  new 
members  into  the  church  while  there,  and  all  of  them  picked 
fruit,  and  good.  I once  proposed  a protracted  meeting,  but 
it  was  not  heartily  seconded,  the  leading  members  declaring 
that  picked  fruit  was  preferable,  by  which  was  meant  that 
I should  go  to  people  and  by  personal  persuasion  induce  them 
to  be  Christians.  So  I did.  The  communion  was  observed 
every  two  months,  at  which  time  members  were  received  into 
church.  The  people  made  a great  deal  of  propriety,  and 
freely  spoke  of  what  was  becoming  and  what  was  not.  Espe- 
cially on  funeral  occasions  everything  was  to  be  done  to  a dot 
and  in  the  line  of  propriety.  I preached  six  or  eight  funerals 
during  the  year,  where  my  church  choir  furnished  the  music. 
At  one  place  the  funeral  was  being  held  in  the  house  where 
the  death  occurred.  I saw  the  members  of  the  choir  go  out, 
although  it  was  time  to  commence,  and  I went  to  look  for 
them,  and  there  behind  a shed  they  stood,  in  the  snow,  practic- 
ing pieces  to  be  sung.  I always  let  them  select  the  music, 
and  on  this  occasion  the  only  opportunity  to  practice  was  out 
of  doors.  A sad  occasion  was  a double  funeral,  both  members 
of  the  church  and  good  people.  The  father,  mother,  and 
daughter,  living  two  miles  from  the  village,  had  come  to 


205 


Fifty-five  Years  of  Active  Life 

church  in  a buggy.  Returning  home,  while  crossing  the  rail- 
road track  the  daughter  heard  the  express  train  coming,  but 
the  horse  could  not  be  stopped  and  they  were  struck.  The 
mother  was  killed  instantly,  and  the  daughter  died  that  night. 
The  father  was  made  a cripple  for  life.  With  two  hearses  in 
the  procession,  and  a long  row  of  carriages,  and  with  two 
coffins  in  church  before  me,  it  was  an  impressive  occasion. 

Having  been  elected  to  membership  on  the  Board  of  Mis- 
sions, I met  in  all  its  annual  meetings,  and  while  I was  get- 
ting on  well  I was  not  doing  the  work  I felt  most  interested 
in,  nor  was  I working  in  the  church  I wished  to  work  in. 

The  following  will  show  one  of  the  experiences  such  as 
pioneer  ministers  were  subjected  to.  Two  preachers  held  a 
camp-meeting  for  a week,  and  at  that  early  day  had  to  do 
about  all  the  preaching,  exhorting,  and  praying  that  was  done 
there.  At  the  beginning  of  the  meeting  they  had  promised  to 
visit  a family  a mile  and  a half  from  the  camp  ground.  The 
last  meeting  closed  at  midnight,  when  the  woman  reminded 
them  of  their  promise.  As  they  had  to  leave  for  another  camp 
meeting  early  next  morning,  worn  out  as  they  were  they 
concluded  to  go  there  that  night.  They  reached  the  cabin  at 
one  o’clock.  To  show  her  appreciation  of  the  visit  she  pre- 
pared a good  meal,  after  which  they  had  family  worship.  The 
one  from  whom  the  writer  got  this  narrative  said  he  feared  he 

would  go  to  sleep,  and  so  he  said,  “Brother  J , you  lead 

the  worship.”  They  knelt,  and  he  commenced  to  pray,  but 
had  not  gone  far  before  he  fell  asleep,  and  as  he  was  going  to 
sleep  he  said,  “We  will  look  to  God  for  his  blessing  and  be 
dismissed,”  and  then  his  head  rested  on  the  chair  beside  which 
he  knelt,  and  all  was  silent  as  death  for  a moment.  He  soon 
waked  up  however,  and  all  got  off  their  knees,  an  embarrassed 
company.  After  a good  laugh  they  made  their  apology,  and 
went  to  bed  and  slept  two  hours. 

Once  in  London  I accompanied  a policeman,  on  a very  rough 
night  in  the  month  of  March,  from  midnight  till  daylight. 
The  policeman’s  beat  that  night  was  where  vagrants  and  bad 


20G 


In  the  Gospel  Ministry 


men  and  women  were  found  under  bridges,  or  close  to  the 
walls  of  large  manufacturing  establishments,  where  the  walls 
remained  warm  all  night,  or  in  market  houses,  or  any  place 
where  poor,  half-clad  and  hungry  people  could  stay.  We  saw 
over  one  hundred  of  these  unfortunates,  English,  German, 
Scotch,  Irish,  French,  and  two  Americans.  One  French- 
man told  us  he  had  had  nothing  to  eat  for  three  days, 
and  that  he  intended  to  kill  himself  that  morning.  To  all 
these,  except  a few  well-known  criminals  who  had  frequently 
been  fed  before,  and  who  were  known  to  be  impostors,  tickets 
■were  given  that  entitled  them  to  breakfast  at  a certain  hall  at 
seven  o’clock  the  next  morning.  There  were  one  hundred  and 
thirty-one  persons  in  that  hall  for  breakfast,  and  I became  a 
waiter.  The  chapel  was  huilt  like  any  other  chapel,  and 
seated  one  hundred  and  fifty.  All  sat  while  eating.  The 
breakfast  consisted  of  two  large  pieces  of  bread,  with  meat 
sandwiched  between  them,  and  one  pint  of  coffee.  The  bread 
and  meat  were  put  into  a paper  bag,  and  coffee  given  them  in 
a tin  cup.  After  the  breakfast  was  served  we  held  religious 
services ; the  superintendent  read  the  Scriptures,  announced 
a hymn,  which  they  sang  well,  and  prayed,  after  which  I 
preached  a twenty-minute  sermon.  After  that  those  unem- 
ployed had  to  leave  that  warm  room  and  go  out — not  home, 
for  they  were  homeless.  All  who  wished  work  were  sent  out 
of  the  city  to  stay  with  farmers  who  would  give  them  employ- 
ment. Few  stayed  in  the  country. 


207 


CHAPTER  XLIII. 


1S93-94 — A Congregational  Pastorate — Types  of  Cliureli-members — 
Would  Not  Unite — A Prohibitionist. 

At  the  annual  session  of  the  conference  to  which  I be- 
longed, I asked  to  be  left  without  work  in  1893,  on  the  ground 
that  there  was  a full  supply  of  laborers  without  me,  and  that 
I had  an  invitation  to  preach  for  the  Congregational  Church. 
The  conference  granted  my  request,  and  I at  once  accepted  the 
call.  There  were  three  churches  to  serve  on  that  charge.  The 
principal  one  was  in  a town  that  had  a Baptist,  Methodist, 
and  Disciple  church,  and  all  had  resident  pastors.  I made 
that  place  my  home,  preaching  every  Sabbath  morning,  help- 
ing in  the  Sabbath  school,  and  leading  the  Wednesday  night 
prayer-meeting.  On  alternate  Sunday  afternoons  I preached 
at  country  churches,  one  four  miles  from  headquarters,  and 
the  other  six  miles  away.  This  was  a year  of  much  valuable 
experience  to  me.  I had  more  active  workers,  more  men  and 
women  who  would  speak  and  pray  publicly,  than  at  any  other 
Congregational  church  which  I had  served.  I received  twenty 
members  into  the  church  at  one  of  my  afternoon  appoint- 
ments, but  none  at  the  other  places.  My  pastorate  there  was 
to  me  and  to  the  people  entirely  satisfactory,  so  much  so  to 
them  that  at  the  end  of  the  year  I received  the  vote  of  every 
member  of  the  church  to  continue  with  them  another  year. 

As  my  wife  was  still  an  invalid,  and  could  not  keep  house, 
she  was  taken  to  Indianapolis  to  live  with  a daughter.  But 
for  that  I would  have  served  the  Congregationalists  another 
year. 

Some  types  of  members  found  on  this  charge  may  interest 
the  reader.  In  the  town  church  there  was  a Christian  En- 


208 


* 


MISS  ELLA  SUHENCK 
Massacred  in  Africa,  May  3,  1898 


MISS  MARY  C.  ARCHER,  M.D. 
Massacred  in  Africa,  May  3,  1SS»8 


In  the  Gospel  Ministry 


deavor  society,  made  up  of  the  young  people  of  all  the  churches 
of  the  place,  which  was  a real  blessing  to  it.  At  one  of  the 
afternoon  appointments  there  was  also  what  was  called  a Chris- 
tian Endeavor  society,  but  it  was  little  else  than  a young  peo- 
ple’s frolicking  and  courting  school.  It  was  in  a neighborhood 
where  all  was  demoralization  in  the  church  and  community. 
A leading  rich  member  of  the  church  there  had  been  offended, 
and  he  seemed  to  think  that  the  church  could  not  get  on  with- 
out him,  and,  indeed,  it  could  not  well,  while  he  was  staying 
away  and  keeping  others  away.  His  wife  and  daughter,  who 
were  excellent  women,  were  greatly  handicapped  by  his  con- 
duct. The  man  was  determined  not  to  be  reconciled.  He  had 
been  offended,  whether  with  or  without  cause,  and  he  intended 
to  remain  so.  I visited  him  several  times,  and  finally  pre- 
vailed upon  him  to  hear  me  preach  just  once.  He  came,  but 
went  away  from  church  highly  displeased,  because  certain 
people  were  not  invited  to  sing  in  the  choir,  and  no  persuasion 
or  explanation  could  be  made  to  satisfy  him.  He  was  like  the 
man  who  came  home  drunk  and  put  his  old  hat  in  the  middle 
of  the  floor,  and  then  told  his  wife  that  if  she  picked  it  up  he 
would  flog  her,  and  if  she  let  it  lie  there  he  would  flog  her. 

There  was  another  family  that  was  as  peculiar  as  he,  but  in 
a different  respect.  The  man  was  also  a rich  farmer,  and  his 
wife  a good  woman.  They  lived  in  good  style,  and  were  highly 
respected.  Neither  of  them  would  unite  with  any  church, 
and  yet  they  attended  church  regularly.  She  sang  in  the 
choir,  and  he  was  one  of  its  best  financial  supports,  but 
unlike  the  cranky,  complaining  man  just  described,  they 
would  do  nothing  in  the  way  of  managing  church  affairs, 
though  always  ready  to  take  hold  and  carry  out  the  plans  and 
arrangements  made  by  others.  The  one  would  be  bell-sheep 
or  nothing,  while  the  others  would  never  be  bell-sheep,  but 
always  were  willing  to  follow  and  carry  out  the  arrangements 
made  by  the  pastor  and  official  members  of  the  church.  They 
did  much  to  build  up  Congregationalism,  though  not  members 


14 


209 


Fifty -five  Years  of  Active  Life 

of  the  church,  while  the  other  man,  who  was  a member,  did 
more  to  pull  down  than  to  build  up. 

There  was  another  man  who  had  been  a great  help  to  the 
church,  but  had  withheld  his  support  from  it  for  the  reason 
that  all  the  members  of  the  congregation  were  not  out  and 
out  prohibitionists.  He  came  to  hear  me  several  times,  and  it 
so  happened  that  I preached  a temperance  sermon,  emphasiz- 
ing strongly  the  duty  of  Christians  to  taste  not,  handle  not, 
and  swallow  not  the  accursed  thing  that  makes  drunk.  He 
was  highly  pleased  with  that  sermon,  but  found  out  that  I did 
not  always  vot?  the  Prohibition  ticket,  and  that  spoiled  all.  I 
visited  him  before  and  after  that  sermon,  to  get  him  to  work 
with  us,  but  he  would  not,  though  a member  of  the  church. 

The  people  really  relished  plain  gospel  preaching,  and 
complimented  me  several  times  for  hitting  them  hard,  saying 
that  they  deserved  all  they  got.  Twice  I was  asked  to  unite 
with  that  church  and  become  fully  one  of  them,  but  I declined. 

I once  stayed  all  night  with  an  old  chief  in  Africa,  who  was 
telling  of  the  bad  conduct  of  some  of  his  wives  who  had  run 
away.  Asking  his  son,  who  seemed  to  be  second  headman  of 
the  town,  how  many  wives  his  father  had,  he  said  he  did 
not  know,  but  that  he  had  commenced  getting  wives  when  he 
was  a young  man,  and  he  had  kept  on  getting  wives  ever  since ; 
pointing  to  a young  girl  about  twelve  years  of  age,  he  said 
she  was  one  of  his  wives  which  he  got  the  previous  week.  That 
old  chief  was  not  less  than  seventy  or  seventy-five  years  old 
then. 

Visiting  the  headman  at  sea-bar  once,  and  seeing  a beauti- 
ful witch  greegree,  I asked  him  to  sell  it  to  me.  That  man, 
with  his  eyes  flashing  anger,  said,  “What,  you  go  take  my 
witch  medicine  from  me,  so  witch  come  and  kill  me  one 
time !”  He  meant  that  if  he  did  not  keep  the  greegree  a witch 
would  kill  him  at  once. 


210 


CHAPTER  XLIV. 


1894-95 — Serving  a Mission  Church — “Pioneer  Sermon” — The  Many 
Lives  of  a Debt — Hard  Work  and  Worry — Too  late  for  the 
Funeral. 

Several  months  before  closing  my  work  as  pastor  of  the 
Congregational  church,  I was  invited  to  accept  a mission 
station  in  the  White  River  Conference  by  one  of  the  presiding 
elders  of  that  body.  I consented  to  do  so,  owing  to  the  com 
tinued  illness  of  my  wife  and  the  necessity  of  her  removal  to 
Indianapolis  to  live  with  our  daughter  there.  I attended 
Miami  Annual  Conference,  where  I was  a member,  and  there 
learned  I was  appointed  to  Columbus,  Indiana,  which  is  but 
forty  miles  south  of  Indianapolis.  At  that  session  of  the 
Miami  Conference  it  became  my  duty  to  preach  what  was 
known  as  a “pioneer  sermon/’  that  plan  having  been  com- 
menced the  year  before,  when  Rev.  W.  J.  Shuey  preached  the 
first  pioneer  sermon,  he  being  the  oldest  member  of  that  body, 
and  I next  oldest.  The  following  quotations  from  that  sermon 
show  what  United  Brethren  pioneers  were  and  did:  “The 

key-note  of  their  lives,  both  in  the  laity  and  ministry,  was  to 
be  saved  from  sin,  and  know  it,  and  to  convince  the  irreligious 
that  they  were  in  danger  of  being  lost  without  this  knowledge. 
Not  to  know  that  one  was  saved  was,  in  their  estimation, 
equivalent  to  not  being  saved.  Like  a man  who  was  the  legal 
heir  to  a large  estate,  but  living  and  dying  without  that  knowl- 
edge, it  would  do  him  no  good.  They  certainly  had  some 
strong  proof -texts  in  the  New  Testament  supporting  their 
views  upon  this  subject,  such  as  St.  Paul’s  words:  ‘For  we 
know  that  if  our  earthly  house  of  this  tabernacle  were  dis- 
solved, we  have  a building  of  God,  ‘a  house  not  tmade  with 
hands,  eternal  in  the  heavens.’  The  following,  from  St. 


211 


Fifty-five  Years  of  Active  Life 

John’s  epistle,  is  also  to  the  point:  ‘We  know  that  we  have 
passed  from  death  unto  life,  because  we  love  the  brethren.  He 
that  loveth  not  his  brother  abideth  in  death.’  Like  these  in- 
spired writers,  the  pioneer  ministers  of  the  United  Brethren 
Church  in  Miami  Conference  knew  that  they  were  saved,  and 
could  tell  others  how  it  was  done.  This  they  did  with  so  much 
unction  as  to  make  the  word  of  God  ‘quick  and  powerful, 
and  sharper  than  any  two-edged  sword,  piercing  even  to  the 
dividing  asunder  of  soul  and  spirit,  and  of  the  joint's  and 
marrow,  and  a discerner  of  the  thoughts  and  intents  of  the 
heart.’  Like  Apollos,  they  were  mighty  in  the  Scriptures,  and 
being  fervent  in  the  Spirit,  they  spoke  and  taught  diligently 
the  things  of  the  Lord.  As  a matter  of  course,  then  as  now, 
some  did  not  magnify  their  office,  but  these  were  the  excep- 
tions, and  not  the  rule.  Teaching  religion,  not  philosophy,  or 
geology,  or  astronomy,  or  science  of  any  kind,  but  that,  ‘deny- 
ing ungodliness  and  worldly  lusts,  we  should  live  soberly, 
righteously,  and  Godly  in  this  present  world,’  was  the  great 
aim  of  their  discourses.  They  gave  great  prominence  to  the 
‘three  R’s’  namely,  ruin  by  the  fall,  redemption  through 
Christ,  and  regeneration  by  the  Holy  Spirit.  To  make  the 
unsaved  realize  that  they  were  sinners  before  God,  that  Christ 
had  redeemed  them  by  giving  his  life  for  them,  and  that  with- 
out a personal  interest  in  his  blood  they  would  lie  separated 
from  the  presence  of  God  and  the  glory  of  his  power  forever, 
were  the  truths  which  they  pressed  home  upon  the  consciences 
of  men.” 

As  the  White  River  Conference  had  met  a week  earlier  than 
Miami,  I left  on  Saturday  morning  and  reached  Columbus 
that  night,  commencing  my  work  there  the  next  day.  The 
day  was  hot  and  the  audience  small.  The  church  had  just 
been  built,  and  was  not  dedicated  yet.  It  was  one  mile  from 
the  center  of  the  city,  and  quite  a distance  from  any  other 
church.  About  four,  miles  away  in  the  country,  was  another 
good  church-house,  but  with  only  a few  scattered  members. 
These  two  points  constituted  the  field  of  labor  given  me.  The 


212 


In  the  Gospel  Ministry 

division  outlie  church  in  1889  had  badly  disrupted  the  society, 
and  several  of  its  most  influential  members  had  left  and  gone 
to  the  Radicals.  Some  had  removed  from  that  neighborhood, 
and  altogether  that  point  was  badly  demoralized.  The  society 
in  town  was  also  weak,  so  that  there  was  not  a very  hopeful 
outlook.  In  the  name  of  the  Lord  I set  up  my  banner, 
preaching  in  the  city  morning  and  night,  and  in  the  country 
in  the  afternoon.  I attended  Sabbath  schools  at  both  places, 
and  the  prai'er-meeting  in  the  city,  and  tried  to  increase  the 
attendance  at  all  these  meetings.  It  was  hard  work  to  keep 
any  of  them  going  profitably.  There  were  a few  faithful 
workers  at  both  places,  but  so  few  as  to  discourage  us  all  at 
times. 

A few  months  later,  at  my  request,  the  church  in  Columbus 
was  dedicated  by  Bishop  Kephart,  and  the  small  debt  was 
fully  provided  for  by  subscriptions,  mostly  obtained  by  myself 
before  the  day  of  dedication;  but  alas!  like  some  other  sub- 
scriptions, all  were  not  paid,  nor  was  the  debt  on  that  house. 
That  church  debt  had  as  many  lives  as  a cat.  It  was  like  a 
church  debt  in  Dayton,  Ohio,  that  I helped  to  pay  at  three 
different  times.  It  was  not  because  any  money  had  been  mis- 
appropriated, but  because  some  had  failed  to  pay  what  they 
had  subscribed;  some  because  they  were  not  able,  others  not 
willing,  and  some  died  before  their  subscriptions  became 
due.  Church  debts  should  not  be  made  without  the  best  of 
reasons,  and  then  they  should  not  run  for  years,  to  the  detri- 
ment of  God’s  cause  and  the  reproach  of  Christians.  I have 
known  local  church  debts  to  keep  societies  for  years  from 
contributing  to  the  general  interests  of  the  Church.  There 
are  cases  where  the  people  would  neither  pay  the  church  debt, 
nor  give  money  to  missions,  education,  or  any  church  enter- 
prise, though  abundantly  able  to  do  so.  It  looked  a little  as 
if  they  kept  the  local  debts  unpaid  as  an  excuse  for  not  pay- 
ing to  any  general  church  interest.  Some  people  seem  to  love 
to  tell  of  their  poor  health  and  inability  to  be  useful.  Some 
churches  boast  of  their  refusal  to  pay  money  to  God’s  cause, 


213 


Fifty-five  Years  of  Active  Life 

and  their  ability  to  turn  down  solicitors  for  religious  and 
benevolent  purposes. 

To  enlist  the  services  of  some  people  who  lived  near  our 
church  in  Columbus,  but  who  were  members  of  other  churches, 
one  of  them'  was  made  superintendent  of  our  Sunday  school. 
He  brought  into  the  school  a few  others,  who  helped  some,  and 
all  went  well  for  a while ; but  alas ! a Christmas  entertainment 
one  Saturday  night  resulted  disastrously.  The  entertainment 
was  all  right,  and  the  house  was  filled,  but  I felt  bad,  and 
left  before  the  exercises  closed.  That  so  offended  the  superin- 
tendent that  the  next  day  neither  he  nor  those  he  could  influ- 
ence came  to  the  Sunday  school  or  the  preaching.  After  he 
was  visited  and  explanations  made,  they  were  induced  to 
return,  but  it  was  clearly  seen  that  they  were  not  trying  to 
build  up  our  church.  The  worry  and  hard  work  seriously  af- 
fected my  health,  and  I resigned  the  charge  after  serving  it 
about  seven  months.  My  pastorate  there  was  largely  a fail- 
ure, and  those  that  followed  me  found  it  hard  rowing  for 
years  afterward. 

I knew  a minister  who  was  a man  of  more  than  ordinary 
natural  gifts,  and  a classical  graduate,  who  failed  largely  in 
what  he  undertook  because  he  was  wanting  in  promptness  to 
fill  his  engagements.  Once  he  was  to  conduct  the  service  at 
the  funeral  of  the  grandson  of  one  of  our  ministers.  He  was 
told  to  be  on  hand  promptly  at  two  o’clock,  as  the  burial  was 
to  be  some  miles  away.  To  be  sure  and  get  him  there,  his 
wife  was  told  to  see  to  it  that  he  got  started  in  time,  which 
she  did,  but  he  got  into  a debate  with  a neighbor  on  the 
street,  and  kept  at  it  until  half  an  hour  after  the  time.  The 
grandfather  conducted  the  funeral  service,  and  the  people  left 
the  house  ere  the  pastor  got  there.  It  was  not  the  result  of 
“malice  aforethought,”  as  the  coroner’s  jury  declared  to  be 
the  cause  of  the  death  of  Sally  Pitt,  who  had  committed  sui- 
cide. 

While  in  Columbus  I attended  a number  of  cottage  holiness 
prayer-meetings,  and  heard  some  wonderful  experiences  re- 


214 


In  the  Gospel  Ministry 


specting  the  “second  work,”  as  it  was  called.  Being  asked  to 
speak,  I said  that  they  were  on  the  right  line  to  insist  on 
living  a life  of  holiness,  which  I was  striving  to  do.  I said, 
“Friends,  let  us  obtain  this  higher  life  and  stay  there.  Get  it 
by  the  second  work  route,  or  otherwise,  but  reach  it  and  retain 
it.  Better  not  insist  so  much  that  it  must  be  just  after  a cer- 
tain way,  but  insist  on  having  and  living  it.  A woman  in  one 
of  those  meetings  said  she  had  not  sinned  for  three  years, 
and  she  did  not  need  to  seek  Christ’s  presence  in  prayer,  for 
he  was  with  her  all  the  time.  A few  months  after  this  she 
left  her  husband  and  children,  and  went  off  with  another  man. 
“Wherefore  let  him  that  thinketh  he  standeth,  take  heed  lest 
he  fall.” 


215 


CHAPTER  XLV. 


1895-90 — Soliciting — Thrown  Over  an  Embankment  and  Injured — 
“Our  God  Has  Saved  Us.” 

After  leaving  Columbus,  Indiana,  I spent  five  months  in 
Indianapolis,  and  attended  the  United  Brethren  Church  when 
able  to  go  out,  I had  said,  upon  first  seeing  the  house  they 
worshiped  in,  that  the  congregation  there  would  never  have 
much  success  until  it  got  out  of  the  dark,  dingy  building,  into 
a more  suitable  place  for  a church.  The  pastor  and  people 
realized  the  truth  of  my  statement,  but,  in  view  of  their 
poverty,  they  felt  unable  to  remove  into  a more  desirable  part 
of  the  city  and  a better  house.  I kept  the  matter  before  them, 
and  finally  helped  them  to  subscribe  money  to  remove.  In 
this  it  was  apparent  that  their  zeal  had  gone  beyond  their  abil- 
ity to  pay.  I proposed  to  spend  a year  getting  subscriptions 
by  going  throughout  the  conference  and  soliciting  for  a>  new 
church.  My  proposition  to  work  for  six  hundred  dollars  a 
year,  and  give  two  hundred  dollars  of  that  sum  toward  the 
enterprise,  was  accepted.  With  the  very  generous  subscription 
of  the  congregation  I succeeded  reasonably  well  in  obtaining 
help,  but  mostly  in  sums  of  only  five  dollars  and  ten  dollars. 
I thus  spent  most  of  the  winter,  often  remaining  from  three 
to  four  days  in  one  neighborhood,  assisting  in  protracted 
meetings.  I did  considerable  hard  work  for  eight  months, 
when  an  accident  befell  me  which  utterly  disabled  me,  and 
came  near  ending  my  life.  My  deliverance  from  death  was  so 
remarkable  as  to  deserve  a description  of  it  here. 

The  pastor  of  the  Pendleton  Circuit  had  me  preach  at  a 
point  one  mile  from  Pendleton  one  Sabbath  night.  A heavy 
shower  of  rain  and  hail  commenced  falling  as  he  and  I were 


216 


In  the  Gospel  Ministry 


getting  into  the  buggy  to  drive  to  Pendleton  after  the  ser- 
vice. The  man  with  whom  we  were  to  stay  was  afoot,  and 
soon  after  starting  he  called  to  us  and  asked  to  get  into  the 
buggy  with  us,  as  it  was  so  dark  he  could  not  see  the  road. 
The  pastor  said  to  him,  “I  can’t  see  it  either.”  As  we  halted 
the  horse,  being  struck  in  the  face  by  the  falling  hail,  backed 
a little,  and  then  there  came  a crash  such  as  I never  exper- 
ienced. The  buggy  and  its  occupants,  with  the  horse,  went 
over  an  embankment  into  a gravel-pit,  the  horse  over  the 
buggy,  and  the  buggy  over  us,  I being  on  the  under  side  as  it 
capsized.  For  a moment  the  pressure  was  so  great  that  I felt 
it  would  crush  my  life  out,  but  the  combination  kept  rolling 
on,  until  we  landed  twenty-five  feet  from  where  we  started. 
Eight  feet  of  that  bank,  next  to  the  road,  was  almost  perpen- 
dicular, and  then  it  sloped,  at  an  angle  of  about  forty-five 
degrees,  for  fifteen  feet  more,  to  the  bottom  of  the  gravel-pit, 
where  we  landed  in  mud  and  water.  A lantern  was  soon 
brought,  and  there  stood  the  buggy  right  side  up,  with  nearly 
all  the  spokes  broken  out  of  one  wheel,  the  top  torn  into  frag- 
ments, and  shafts  broken  off  and  lying  under  the  buggy,  the 
harness  all  off  of  the  horse,  which  stood  near  by  trembling. 
We  went  to  a house  near  there  and  stayed  all  night.  My  chest 
was  sore,  several  ribs  being  fractured,  and  I slept  none  that 
night.  Xeither  the  pastor  who  was  with  me,  nor  the  horse 
were  hurt,  except  a few  slight  bruises. 

A number  of  people  came  the  next  morning  to  see  the  dis- 
tance we  rolled  from  the  top  of  the  bank  to  the  bottom  of  the 
gravel-pit,  and  among  them  was  an  infidel  editor  of  a paper, 
who  said  that  the  devil  had  nearly  killed  us  that  time.  “It  may 
be  that  Satan  had  a hand  in  that  tumble,”  said  the  pastor, 
“but  our  God  has  saved  us,”  and  truly  that  was  the  case.  In 
all  my  ocean  traveling  (having  then  made  eleven  round  trips 
to  Africa,  and  having  been  shipwrecked  twice),  in  the  thou- 
sands of  miles  I had  gone  on  railroads,  in  the  many  narrow 
escapes  from  drowning  when  in  rowboats  in  Africa,  and  in 
numerous  other  hairbreadth  escapes  by  land  and  sea,  none 


217 


Fifty-five  Years  of  Active  Life 

came  so  near  causing  my  death  as  that  tumble  in  a buggy.  My 
chest  became  very  sore,  and  it  continued  so  about  six  months, 
when  it  left  me  suddenly  and  I had  my  usual  health. 

About  a month  after  that  accident  I felt  my  limbs  were 
losing  their  strength,  and  walking  became  difficult.  I resolved 
to  remedy  that  if  possible,  and  did  so  by  walking  half  a mile 
at  a time,  repeating  the  effort  after  a short  rest.  I did  this 
several  times  daily,  and  kept  increasing  the  distance  until  I 
could  walk  two  miles.  Had  I given  up  and  not  forced  myself 
to  exercise  my  limbs,  as  too  many  old  people  do,  I probably 
soon  could  not  have  walked  any.  Having  a little  strength 
left,  I used  that,  and  have  kept  at  it,  so  that  now,  in  my 
eighty-third  year,  I can  walk  a couple  of  miles. 

At  the  close  of  this  year  I attended  my  conference,  which 
met  in  Dayton,  Ohio,  and  when  my  name  was  called,  I said 
to  the  conference  that  on  my  way  there  I had  visited  several 
cemeteries  with  a view  to  selecting  a final  resting-place  for 
my  body,  feeling  that,  with  my  soul’s  salvation  secured 
through  Christ,  all  I had  to  do  now  was  to  await  the  summons 
from  earth  to  heaven. 

As  we  were  then  to  live  with  our  daughter  in  Columbus, 
Ohio,  instead  of  with  the  one  in  Indianapolis,  Indiana,  my 
wife  had  gone  on  before  to  Columbus.  I went  there  from 
Dayton,  and  was  arranging  to  kill  time  and  do  nothing  hut 
eat,  drink,  and  behave  the  balance  of  my  life.  So  ended  this 
forty-fifth  year  of  my  ministerial  life,  and  also  my  life’s 
work,  as  I then  thought,  but  the  Lord  had  arranged  it  quite 
differently. 


21S 


CHAPTER  XLYI. 


1896-97 — An  Eventful  Year — A Letter — To  Africa  for  the  Radicals — 
A Remarkable  Meeting — Meeting  the  Head  Man. 

Of  all  the  fifty-five  years  of  my  ministerial  life,  the  forty- 
sixth  was  the  most  remarkable.  My  health  coming  back  to 
me  suddenly  and  unexpectedly  after  that  fearful  buggy  wreck. 
I regarded  as  providential.  The  good  voyage  I had  to  Africa 
and  back,  and  the  successful  work  done,  under  God,  by  Mr. 
Wilberforce  and  myself,  opening  several  mission  stations  and 
holding  a revival  meeting  which  continued  only  eight  days 
and  resulted  in  organizing  a church  of  fifty  members,  made 
this  indeed  an  extraordinary  year  in  the  history  of  my  life. 
All  this  being  done  when  nearly  seventy-one  years  old,  and 
after  arranging  to  retire  from  active  work  because  of  my  age 
and  infirmities,  and  with  what  I have  done  since  that  time, 
makes  the  impression  deep  in  my  mind  that  God  led  and  kept 
me.  While,  with  the  psalmist,  I can  say,  “Goodness  and 
mercy  have  followed  me  all  the  days  of  my  life,”  truly  good- 
ness and  mercy  followed  me  in  a marked  manner  during  this 
year. 

I will  here  quote  a paragraph  from  a letter  of  explanation 
which  appeared  in  the  Religions  Telescope: 

“During  August,  September,  and  October,  1890,  five  years 
previous  to  my  last  trip  to  Africa,  I received  letters  from 
Revs.  J.  Gomer  and  D.  F.  Wilberforce,  saying  that  for  want 
of  money  four  mission  stations  were  without  laborers,  and 
that  others  would  be  if  financial  help  did  not  reach  them 
soon.  They  urged  me  to  collect  money  and  send  it.  I wrote 
them  that  for  me  to  do  so  would  be  misunderstood,  and  bring 
me  into  conflict  with  the  officers  of  the  Missionary  Society, 


219 


Fifty- five  Years  of  Active  Life 


and  urged  them  to  do  the  best  they  could  with  the  money  they 
had.  I received  two  letters  in  one  week,  imploring  me  to  send 
money  at  once.  I replied  to  each  without  delay,  and  as  I was 
returning  from  the  post-office,  after  mailing  the  last  letter, 
thinking  how  disappointed  and  sad  they  would  be  at  my  in- 
ability to  help  them,  it  came  to  me  forcibly  that  if  I could  not 
assist  them  through  the  Liberal  United  Brethren  Church,  I 
might,  perhaps,  through  the  Badicals.  In  a week  or  two,  and 
in  a manner  wholly  unexpected,  the  way  was  opened  for  me 
to  go  to  Africa,  on  certain  conditions,  for  the  Badical  United 
Brethren  Church. 

It  is  not  necessary  now  to  relate  how  I consulted  with  my 
friends  in  the  Church,  and  how  they  sought  to  dissuade  me 
from  going,  predicting  unfortunate  results  to  the  missions  if 
I gave  my  services  to  the  Badicals.  I went  to  Africa  for  the 
twelfth  time,  and  witnessed  some  wonderful  manifestations 
of  God’s  power. 

In  the  fifty-five  years  of  my  ministry  I have  seen  and  heard 
many  remarkable  things  in  connection  with  the  services  in 
God’s  house,  but  March  1,  1896,  surpassed  all  others  in  that 
respect.  During  the  previous  week  meetings  had  been  held 
every  night.  The  congregations  were  large,  and  deeply  inter- 
ested in  the  services,  and  about  thirty  persons  for  three  suc- 
cessive nights  arose,  asking  the  prayers  of  Christians,  and  fifty 
gave  their  names  as  candidates  for  membership.  Mr.  Wilber- 
force  had  some  time  before  taken  a list  of  twelve  names,  six 
of  whom  were  still  seekers.  These  twelve,  added  to  the  thirty- 
eight  new  converts,  made  fifty,  of  whom  sixteen  were  full 
members  and  thirty-four  were  seekers.  Then  there  were  forty- 
seven  persons  baptized,  about  twenty-four  of  whom  were 
adults,  thirteen  mission  hoys  and  girls,  and  ten  infants. 

Our  mud  chapel  was  so  packed  that  we  could  scarcely  find 
room  for  all  to  stand.  -An  old  heathen  woman  came  forward* 
and  insisted  on  being  baptized,  and  as  she  had  been  coming 
to  our  meetings  all  week,  and  was  an  honorable  heathen 
woman,  I felt  it  right  to  gratify  her  wishes.  Three  children 


220 


In  the  Gospel  Ministry 


were  brought  to  be  baptized,  whom  I was  asked  to  name.  Two 
mothers  with  infants  lashed  to  their  backs  came  to  have  them 
baptized,  standing  sidewise  so  I could  reach  the  heads  of  their 
children.  As  I was  giving  the  right  hand  of  fellowship,  an 
elderly  man  with  only  a country  cloth  on,  screamed  with  pain. 
He  had  a very  sore  finger,  of  which  I did  not  know,  and  grasp- 
ing his  hand  I hurt  it.  These  and  other  ludicrous  things  oc- 
curred, and  yet  such  was  the  seriousness  of  the  people  that 
there  was  no  foolish  laughing  or  unbecoming  conduct.  The 
meeting  throughout  was  very  orderly,  and  the  people  showed 
that  God  had  touched  their  hearts.  A man  less  than  thirty 
years  old,  after  having  asked  prayers  for  three  successive 
nights,  said  his  heart  was  bad  and  it  kept  him  from  doing 
right,  and  then  he  broke  out  in  the  following  prayer : “0  God, 
thou  seest  my  heart  is  bad,  and  do,  Lord,  give  me  better  heart. 
Lord,  you  make  my  heart,  and  I bring  it  to  thee  to  fix  em, 
for  if  you  can’t  fix  em,  then  no  one  can  help  me.”  A real 
work  of  opening  the  eyes  of  the  blind,  and  turning  men  from 
darkness  to  light,  had  been  accomplished  by  the  Holy  Spirit 
in  his  case  and  others,  at  that  meeting. 

I must  not  omit  my  introduction  to  the  head  man  and 
the  people  on  this  trip.  All  met  in  the  country  chapel,  and 
it  was  quite  a crowd.  Mr.  Wilberforce  told  them  he  was 
named  after  me,  and  that  I had  secured  his  education  in 
America,  and  was  his  “daddy,”  and  had  come  there  to  do  him 
and  them  good.  Then  he  called  on  me  for  some  remarks.  I 
said  I remembered  the  time  when  Mr.  Wilberforce  was  born 
and  named  after  me,  and  that  I was  glad  to  find  the  head  man 
and  all  so  friendly  to  the  missions,  and  hoped  the  head  man 
would  give  ground  for  it,  and  help  all  he  could.  The  head 
man  said  he  was  very  glad  to  see  me,  and  as  I bad  come  far 
to  see  them,  I must  be  “plenty  hungry,”  and  they  had  brought 
me  rice, — about  four  bushels, — and  a sheep,  which  was  tied 
in  sight,  and  that  I must  full  myself  good,  and  then  they 
would  do  as  I told  them,  adding  that  Mr.  Wilberforce  was 
their  “daddy,”  and  as  I was  his  “daddy,”  he  must  tell  them 


221 


Fifty-five  Years  of  Active  Life 

what  I wanted  them  to  do,  and  they  would  do  it.  I thanked 
him  for  his  good  words  and  present,  and  in  return  I made  him 
a present,  and  we  parted  good  friends. 


222 


CHAPTER  XL VII. 


1897-98 — Holding  Missionary  Meetings — Joint  Missionary  Magazine — 
Letter  to  Miami  Conference. 

Immediately  after  my  return  from  Africa  in  April,  1896, 
I visited  many  places,  lecturing  on  Africa  and  preaching  mis- 
sionary sermons.  I also  attended  the  annual  meetings  of  the 
parent  Board  of  Missions,  and  of  the  Woman’s  Missionary 
Association  of  the  Radical  United  Brethren  Church.  A quota- 
tion from  an  article  I wrote  in  their  church  organ  will  show 
how  I found  things,  and  what  I did  during  part  of  the  forty- 
seventh  year  of  my  ministerial  life.  Late  in  June,  1896,  I 
wrote  as  follows : “While  there  was  much  that  suited  me  at 
the  missionary  meetings  held  last  month  at  Charlotte,  Mich- 
igan, and  Leaf  River,  Illinois,  nothing  pleased  me  more  than 
the  hearty  approval  of  both  boards  to  publish  a joint  mission- 
ary magazine.  Xo  one  tried  to  show  how  such  a magazine 
could  not  be  published  without  loss.  Formerly  nothing  was 
more  distasteful  to  me  than  for  prominent  members  of  mis- 
sion hoards  to  show  how  things  could  not  be  done.  It  may  be 
that  class  of  people  have  all  gone  to  heaven ; T sincerely  hope 
so,  for  this  world,  and  especially mission  hoards,  do  not  need 
such,  but  do  greatly  need  wide-awake,  heroic,  self-sacrificing 
people  to  show  how  things  can  be  done,  and  then  go  right 
along  and  do  them.  The  two  boards  are  to  be  equal  parties 
in  this  magazine,  each  occupying  half  the  space  and  sharing 
half  the  profits.  There  were  no  arrangements  made  for  any 
losses,  nor  need  there  be.  It  is  to  cost  fifty  cents  a year,  and 
the  publisher  is  to  publish  it  on  a paying  basis.” 

I wish  here  to  insert  my  letter,  written  to  the  secretary  of 
the  Miami  Annual  Conference,  telling  of  mv  withdrawal  from 


223 


Fifty-five  Years  of  Active  Life 


the  conference  and  the  Church.  It  was  addressed  to  Rev. 
C.  J.  Burkert,  secretary  of  the  conference,  from  Greensburg, 
Indiana,  August  25,  1896  : 

“‘As  you,  and  most  of  the  Miami  Conference  know,  I became 
a member  of  the  Radical  United  Brethren  Church  last  Decem- 
ber, and  have  been  doing  missionary  work  in  said  church 
ever  since.  When  my  name  is  called  next  week  at  your  annual 
meeting,  you  will  please  give  notice  of  my  withdrawal  from 
the  Miami  Conference,  and  the  Liberal  United  Brethren 
Church.  By  the  time  you  are  through  with  the  examination 
of  character  in  Lewisburg  next  week  I will  be  at  the  fourth 
annual  conference  this  year  already.  But  for  this  kind  of 
work  now  pressing  me,  I should  be  at  Lewisburg  with  you. 
With  best  wishes  for  your  welfare,  and  the  members  of  Miami 
Conference,  I am  sincerely  yours.” 


224 


MISS  MARIETTA  HATFIELD,  M.D. 
Massacred  in  Africa,  May  3,  1898 


REV.  AND  MRS.  L.  A.  McGREW 
Massacred  in  Africa,  May  9,  1898 


CHAPTER  XLVIII. 


1898-!)9 — Elected  Missionary  Secretary — At  Huntington.  Ind. — An 
Absent-Minded  Minister. 

A few  months  before  this  year’s  work  was  commenced,  I 
was  elected  corresponding  secretary  of  the  Domestic,  Frontier, 
and  Foreign  Missionary  Society  of  the  Radical  United  Breth- 
ren Church.  I soon  entered  upon  the  duties  of  that  office, 
which  position  was  easily  filled  by  me,  having  spent  nearly 
twenty-eight  years  in  that  capacity.  By  virtue  of  that  position 
I became  editor  of  the  first  eight  pages  of  the  Missionary 
Monthly.  Thus  by  the  use  of  the  pen,  and  by  public  addresses 
and  otherwise,  I labored  to  promote  missions.  Two  pages  of 
the  eight  I filled  with  editorial  matter,  and  sought  to  impress 
the  importance  of  laboring  zealously  for  the  enlightenment 
and  salvation  of  all  who  were  without  Christ.  During  this 
year  the  Radical  Church  moved  its  headquarters  from  Dayton, 
Ohio,  to  Huntington,  Indiana,  making  it  necessary  for  me  to 
go  to  Huntington,  where  1 continued  to  work  up  till  June  1, 
1905.  Being  among  the  people  a good  deal,  during  this  and 
some  succeeding  years,  to  hold  missionary  meetings  and  attend 
annual  conferences,  I learned  much  of  human  nature. 
The  bitterness  and  unreasonableness  of  some  people  made  me 
wish  sometimes  that  I was  as  absent  minded  as  two  men  I 
knew  well,  one  a minister  and  the  other  a layman.  I really 
should  have  been  glad  to  have  forgotten  as  easily  as  the  lay- 
man referred  to  could  forget  things.  I was  called  to  preach 
the  funeral  of  a grandson  of  this  man.  After  the  burial  we 
went  back  to  the  house  for  dinner,  and  as  we  sat  at  the  table  I 
remarked  to  the  grandfather  that  the  funeral  had  been  largely 
attended.  The  old  gentleman  replied,  “I  do  not  know;  I was 


]5 


225 


Fifty-jive  Years  of  Active  Life 

not  there.”  He  had  ridden  two  miles  on  horseback  to  the 
church,  and  sat  on  the  front  seat  close  to  the  coffin  while  I 
preached,  and  yet  he  had  forgotten  all  about  it  in  a few 
hours.  A short  time  before  this  he  had  written  a letter  to  his 
daughter  in  Indiana,  and  after  all  this  was  done  he  went  from 
his  room  to  the  kitchen  to  ask  what  his  own  name  was,  and 
when  about  half  way  there  he  suddenly  stopped  and  said, 
“Why,  my  name  is  Philip  Pry.”  He  frequently  forgot  the 
names  of  members  of  the  family. 

An  absent-minded  minister  lived  in  Dayton  for  years,  and 
edited  a religious  paper.  I have  known  him  to  start  from  his 
office  for  dinner,  come  down  two  flights  of  stairs  and  get  half 
across  the  street,  when  the  cold  on  his  bald  head  would  re- 
mind him  of  his  hat,  which  he  had  left  in  his  office.  Once  he 
overslept,  and  told  his  wife  to  hurry  the  preparation  of  break- 
fast, while  he  went  to  bring  a loaf  of  bread  from  the  bakery 
two  squares  away.  He  walked  right  past  the  bakery  and  went 
to  his  office,  half  a mile  away,  and  worked  till  after  ten  o’clock, 
when,  feeling  hungry,  it  came  to  him  that  he  had  forgotten  to 
return  with  bread,  so  he  started  back  to  get  the  bread,  and 
again  walked  right  by  the  bakery  home  without  if,  when  his 
wife  sharply  reminded  him  of  leaving  her  without  bread. 
Bread  was  finally  procured  and  a meal  eaten,  which  that  day 
was  both  breakfast  and  dinner.  He  and  I lived  near  each 
other,  and  we  were  to  go  to  a dedication  service  one  Saturday, 
leaving  on  the  one  o’clock  train.  All  was  ready,  except  that 
my  friend  could  not  find  his  Sunday  coat.  Finally  he  remem- 
bered that  he  had  left  it  at  a tailor’s  shop  to  be  repaired,  and 
he  secured  it  just  in  time  to  catch  the  train.  Once  he  went 
on  horseback  to  a meeting  and  walked  home  with  a brother 
for  dinner,  leaving  his  horse  hitched  near  the  church. 

In  some  African  villages,  adjacent  to  mission  stations  where 
the  people  wished  to  observe  Sabbath,  they  would  cut  seven 
niches,  or  put  seven  holes  in  a piece  of  wood,  and  call  the  top 
one  Sunday.  They  sometimes  got  things  sadly  mixed,  for  I 
occasionally  foomd  them  keeping  Thursday  or  some  other  day 


226 


In  the  Gospel  Ministry 

for  Sunday.  Their  simple  way  of  telling  when  Sunday  would 
come  was  all  right,  provided  the  peg  for  the  holes  or  string 
for  the  niche  was  moved  every  day. 


227 


CHAPTER  XLIX. 


1898-99 — Uprising  in  Africa — D.  F.  Wilberforce  Escapes — “Boofima" 
— The  Rufus  Clark  School — Naming  Children. 

There  was  a terrible  uprising  of  the  natives  in  that  part 
of  Africa  occupied  by  the  United  Brethren  missionaries,  the 
last  day  of  April,  1898.  An  organized  effort  was  made  by 
the  natives  to  massacre  all  missionaries  and  traders  who  were 
favorable  to  civilized  life.  The  people  saw  that  Christianity 
was  undermining  their  heathenish  barbarities,  and  hence  all 
missionaries,  traders,  and  business  men,  white  and  black, 
favorable  to  Christianity,  were  to  be  killed.  Buildings  and  all 
things  which  might  enable  these  classes  to  resume  business 
were  to  be  demolished,  and  heathenism  was  to  be  made  su- 
preme. Missions  of  the  United  Brethren  Church  were  much 
injured  by  this  uprising.  Seven  capable  American  mission- 
aries and  many  natives  were  killed,  and  thousands  of  dollars 
worth  of  property  was  destroyed. 

Only  one  of  the  missionaries  of  the  Radical  United  Breth- 
ren Church  was  killed,  Mr.  Clemens,  a colored  man.  The 
escape  of  Rev.  D.  F.  Wilberforce  and  Miss  Mary  Mullen,  the 
only  white  person  there,  was  miraculous.  Mr.  Clemens  was 
employed  in  March,  1896,  but  did  not  enter  upon  the  work 
until  nearly  a year  afterward.  He  was  a native  of  Africa, 
and  had  spent  several  years  in  this  country  getting  an  educa- 
tion and  learning  a trade.  He  was  a tinner,  and  possessed 
some  mechanical  genius,  and  was  a good  man.  He  rendered 
valuable  service  as  teacher  and  preacher,  and  his  untimely 
and  barbarous  death  was  greatly  lamented.  He  was  cut  to 
pieces  and  thrown  into  a hole  at  Bangbiah. 


228 


In  the  Gospel  Ministry 

On  June  27  a cablegram  reached  me  saying,  “Wilberforce 
and  family  safe  in  Bonthe.  The  months  of  suspense  in  re- 
spect to  his  fate  were  terrible  ones.  This  will  be  more  fully 
understood  when  it  is  known  what  he  had  done,  and  was  do- 
ing, and  the  estimation  in  which  he  was  held  by  his  Church. 
The  Missionary  Board  passed  the  following  resolution : 
‘•While  we  hope  almost  against  fate  that  the  lives  of  several 
missionaries  have  been  providentially  spared,  we  solemnly 
pledge  our  hearts  and  hands  for  manly  effort,  with  the  Lord’s 
help,  to  raise  up  Africa  redeemed,  as  a monument  to  the 
memory  of  our  crucified  Lord,  and  his  crucified  missionaries. 

“Whether  living  or  dead,  we  will  tenderly  cherish  and  ever 
honor  the  memory  of  D.  F.  Wilberforce,  our  great  African 
missionary,  and  that  of  Mrs.  Elizabeth  Wilberforce,  his  not 
less  worthy  wife,  and  that  of  their  family  and  other  laborers. 
Their  pious  useful  lives  will  long  live  in  the  hearts  and  annals 
of  Imperri. 

“Resolved,  1.  That,  if  in  the  gracious  providence  of  God 
the  life  of  Rev.  D.  F.  Wilberforce  is  still  spared,  he  be  recog- 
nized, as  heretofore,  as  being  superintendent  of  Imperri 
mission. 

2.  That  Sunday,  the  twenty-fourth  of  J lily,  be  recognized 
as  memorial  day,  and  that  our  pastors  throughout  the  Church 
are  hereby  earnestly  requested  to  hold  memorial  services  in 
their  several  churches,  and  take  up  by  subscription  and  other- 
wise, in  behalf  of  our  treasury,  a memorial  fund  to  aid  our 
missionary  work  in  Africa,  and  that  our  bishops  and  general 
officers  be  requested  to  give  all  the  aid  within  their  power  to 
make  this  effort  successful.” 

From  reports  made  just  before  the  uprising;  some  idea  of 
the  prosperity  of  the  missions  may  be  gathered.  At  a meet- 
ing held  by  Mr.  Wilberforce  and  J.  B.  Brainard,  at  Gangal- 
loh,  nine  persons  gave  their  names,  expressing  their  wish  to 
be  on  the  Lord’s  side.  More  could  have  been  secured,  but  it 
was  thought  Lest  not  to  receive  them  until  thev  were  further 
taught  with  regard  to  the  requirements  of  Christianity. 


229 


Fifty-five  Years  of  Active  Life 

At  a meeting  held  at- Mr.  Wilberforce’s  home,  between 
Christmas  and  New  Years,  nine  adults  and  some  children 
gave  evidence  of  coming  to  Christ,  and  among  them  Chief 
Fornee,  the  man  who  gave  me  such  a hearty  welcome  to  that 
country  two  years  before.  He  spoke  feelingly  of  God’s  good- 
ness and  the  benefits  of  the  mission  to  him.  The  missionaries 
in  the  Imperri  country  were  now  going  into  over  fifty  towns, 
about  twenty  more  than  a year  previously.  The  advanced 
pupils  in  the  schools  were  rendering  good  service  as  mission- 
aries. 

I wish  to  give  some  extracts  from  a letter  by  Bishop  Mills, 
who  visited  Africa  about  this  time,  and  had  good  opportuni- 
ties to  learn  and  know  the  facts.  He  says : “A  sample  of  native 
fetish  is  one  called  Boofima.  This  I met  in  the  Imperri 
country,  where  it  was  introduced  some  years  ago.  There  was 
war  between  Taiama  and  Paramas.  The  latter  sent  their  war 
boys  to  make  an  ambush  in  the  intermediate  country,  and  the 
Imperri  people  delivered  these  war  boys  to  the  enemy.  In 
revenge  the  Paramas  sent  fetish  Boofima  into  the  Imperri 
country.  Its  worship  was  connected  with  a secret  society 
known  as  the  Leopards.  Boofima  is  a roll  of  rags,  annointed 
formerly  with  animal  blood  and  grease,  and  is  about  five 
inches  long  and  two  or  three  inches  thick.  When  it  was  sent 
into  the  Imperri  country  the  natives  were  taught  that  to  en- 
joy the  benefits  of  this  powerful  fetish  they  must  anoint  it 
with  human  blood  and  with  grease  from  certain  parts  of  the 
human  body.  Thus  the  Paramas  hoped  to  get  the  people  of 
Imperri  to  exterminate  themselves  in  the  making  and  wor- 
ship of  Boofima. 

“The  Leopard  Society  became  cannibals,  eating  the  victims 
slain  to  make  Boofima.  When  they  wished  to  catch  a victim, 
some  of  the  men  clothed  in  leopard  skins,  with  sharp,  crooked 
knife  blades  fastened  to  their  fingers,  and  extending  through 
the  leopard  skin  where  the  claws  once  were,  stole  up  near  the 
man  and  pounced  upon  him,  seizing  him  by  the  throat  after 
the  manner  of  the  leopard.  The  man  usually  died  in  the  at- 


230 


In  the  Gospel  Ministry 

tack,  and  part  of  the  body  was  eaten  and  more  Boofima  was 
made;  but  if  he  escaped  death,  the  assailant  was  thought  to 
be  a real  leopard,  which  he  much  resembled  in  his  cry,  appear- 
ance, and  the  wounds  he  made. 

“Only  two  years  ago  last  summer  three  men  from  the 
Imperri  country  were  tried  in  Freetown  for  murder  in  con- 
nection with  this  Boofima.  . They  were  convicted  and  hung. 
It  is  now  believed  that  the  Leopard  Society  is  entirely  broken 
up.  This  particular  fetish  is  losing  its  influence,  and  soon 
will  be  dead,  for  fetish  subjects  are  deemed  dead,  and  the 
people  lose  confidence  in  them  when  the  spirit  is  supposed  to 
leave  them.  For  the  destruction  of  this  society  one  of  our 
missionaries,  Bev.  D.  F.  Wilberforce,  must  receive  the  credit. 
In  the  face  of  threatened  death  he  fought  the  order,  with  the 
aid  of  British  law,  till  it  has  well  nigh  disappeared  from 
Imperri.  The  number  of  fetish  objects  is  unknown;  as  the 
old  ones  fall  into  disfavor,  new  ones  are  taken  up.  They  even 
now  linger  in  Christian  lands,  as  lucky  stones,  or  unlucky 
days,  or  the  number  thirteen,  etc.,  and  all  the  light  of  the 
nineteenth  century  cannot  banish  them  from  our  land/’ 

When  Bishop  Mills  was  in  Africa  the  second  time,  in  1904, 
he  bore  the  following  testimony  respecting  the  usefulness  of 
the  Rufus  Clark  school  which  the  writer  was  criticised  for 
building  at  Shenge : 

“I  spent  the  Sunday  following  at  Shenge,  with  Alfred 
Sumner.  He  has  done  faithful  work  through  the  year.  He 
is  honored  as  postmaster  for  the  town.  Our  inability  to  re- 
store all  of  our  buildings  here,  and  no  one  coming  out  this 
fall  to  increase  our  force  at  this  point,  and  some  other  things, 
have  conspired  to  discourage  the  people. 

“The  Rufus  Clark  and  Wife  Training-School,  the  church, 
and  the  small  wooden  building  occupied  by  Alfred  Sumner, 
and  a clay  building  for  boys,  and  a few  small  buildings,-  are 
all  we  have  been  able  to  restore  of  the  once  magnificent  plant. 
The  church-house  and  the  school-building  are  in  fine  condi- 
tion, and  if  Brother  and  Sister  Clark  could  only  see  them, 


231 


Fifty-five  Years  of  Active  Life 


and  the  work  being  done  here,  they  would  surely  leave  a 
noble  part  of  their  princely  fortune  to  carry  on  the  work  in 
West  Africa  till  it  is  converted  to  God,  and  the  Redeemer 
comes  to  receive  his  kingdom.” 

The  Africans  have  a peculiar  system  of  naming  their 
children.  The  first  boy  born  to  African  parents  has  a certain 
name,  so  of  the  second,  and  on  to  about  a half  dozen.  The 
girls  are  named  in  a similar  manner.  This  rule  holds  good, 
even  wdiere  several  wive§  have  children  by  the  same  husband, 
only  in  that  case  the  name  of  the  mother  is  added  to  that  of 
the  boys  or  girls,  to  distinguish  them  from  the  first  wife’s 
children. 

The  people  in  Africa  show  taste  and  love  for  things  which 
are  beautiful  and  impressive.  Chief  George  Caulker  inter- 
preted for  me  at  the  dedication  of  two  chapels,  at  which  times 
I read  a part  of  Solomon’s  prayer  at  the  dedication  of  the  tem- 
ple. He  was  so  impressed  with  the  beauty  and  appropriate- 
ness of  that  prayer,  that  he  frequently  spoke  of  it  to  me. 
Chief  George  Caulker  had  been  educated  in  England,  but 
lived  after  the  heathen  style  when  he  returned  to  Africa. 

Soon  after  starting  on  a two-day  trip  from  Shenge  onc-e,  a 
boatman  named  Toby  begged  me  to  give  him  a case-knife,  I 
having  two  in  my  canteen.  He  was  given  the  knife  for  the 
trip,  with  instructions  that  when  we  got  back  to  Shenge  the 
knife  was  to  be  polished  as  bright  as  when  he  received  it.  As 
we  arrived  in  sight  of  Shenge  on  the  return,  I reminded  him 
of  his  promise.  He  had  used  the  knife  to  cut  oranges,  and 
the  acid  and  dampness  of  the  air  made  it  black  and  rusty.  To 
clean  it  he  simply  turned  up  the  bottom  of  his  bare  foot,  and 
rubbed  it,  as  would  be  done  on  a board  with  brick  dust,  and 
soon  it  was  as  bright  as  one  could  desire.  He  then  took  his 
woolen  shirt,  which  he  had*worn  for  two  days,  and  rubbed  it, 
saying,  “Massa,  that  knife  very  clean  now.”  The  natives  go 
barefoot  always,  and  the  skin  on  the  bottom  of  the  feet  gets 
very  thick  and  rough,  and  enough  sand  adheres  to  them  to 
make  them  as  good  as  a scouring  brick  for  polishing  metal. 

232 


CHAPTER  L. 


1809-1900 — The  Madness  of  Heathenism — Mr.  Wilberforce  Paramount 
Chief — Still  Pleading  for  Africa. 

Owing  to  the  uprising  in  Africa,  the  fiftieth  year  was  one 
full  of  labor  and  care  to  me.  In  June,  1899,  Mrs.  Wilber- 
force and  her  four  children  reached  Dayton,  Ohio.  Mr.  Wil- 
berforce and  his  family  had  many  hairbreadth  escapes  in 
Africa  during  May,  1898.  The  insurgents  who  killed  so  many 
missionaries,  government  officials,  traders,  white  and  black, 
were  kept  from  destroying  them.  Mr.  Wilberforce  was  now 
the  paramount  chief  of  the  Imperri  district,  and  had  estab- 
lished his  headquarters  at  Victoria.  He  had  rendered  val- 
uable services  to  the  colony  of  Sierra  Leone,  before  the  up- 
rising and  after,  in  ferreting  out  and  bringing  to  justice  some 
of  the  leaders  of  the  war  against  the  Colonial  government. 
He  had  for  several  years  spent  considerable  time  in  an  effort 
at  exterminating  cannibalism  and  other  great  evils  in  that 
country.  His  course  in  these  respects  did  much  to  incense 
Mohammedans,  members  of  poro  societies,  and  cannibals, 
and  to  cause  them  to  conspire  together  to  destroy  Christian- 
ity. In  their  madness,  and  instigated  by  Satan,  they  de- 
stroyed the  lives  of  many  noble  people  and  much  valuable 
property. 

Being  chief,  it  was  impossible  for  him  to  leave  that  country 
without  great  loss  to  the  Colonial  government  and  the  mis- 
sion, so  he  remained  while  his  wife  and  their  four  children 
came  to  the  United  States.  It  devolved  upon  me  to  secure 
proper  quarters  for  the  family,  and  to  see  that  these  four 
children  received  schooling.  This  I did,  and  all  were  kept  in 
school  until  the  fall  of  1901,  when  the  mother,  the  two 
daughters  and  their  father  returned  to  Africa.  The  two  sons 
were  students  in  college  till  June,  1904. 


233 


Fifty-five  Years  of  Active  Life 

Mr.  Wilberforce  came  to  America  in  May,  1901,  and  re- 
mained until  the  autumn  of  that  year.  During  this  time 
he  visited  a number  of  conferences  and  other  places,  preach- 
ing, lecturing,  and  raising  money. 

The  following  was  published  in  the  London  Times  early 
in  the  year  1899,  and  is  inserted  here  to  show  how  a great 
newspaper  in  London,  England,  looked  at  things.  The 
characterization  of  things  is  about  right,  but  it  does  not  tell 
that  United  Brethren  missions  did  much  to  bring  about  the 
changed  condition  of  things  in  the  colony  of  Sierra  Leone. 
The  Times  says : “In  Sierra  Leone  almost  all  the  rebellious 
chiefs  have  been  apprehended  or  have  surrendered  them- 
selves, and  confidence  is  almost  entirely  restored.  Every- 
where the  natives  are  readily  paying  the  hut  tax.  The 
prospects  of  Sierra  Leone  have  nev.er  been  so  bright  and 
promising  as  now.  With  a railway  running  through  the 
fertile  district,  an  abundant  revenue  with  a considerable  sur- 
plus, lessened  import  duties,  cheaper  markets,  and  a firm  and 
settled  policy,  the  colony  has  a future  before  it  such  as  was 
not  dreamed  of  a few  years  ago.” 

During  this  jrear  I received  a number  of  letters  from  high 
officials  and  influential  men  not  to  press  the  African  collec- 
tions so  hard.  Hints  were  given  me,  even  before  I was  elected 
secretary  in  1897,  not  to  plead  too  earnestly  for  Africa,  say- 
ing that  home  missions  must  be  cared  for,  and  hence  Africa 
must  not  come  to  the  front  so  much.  As  a matter  of  course  I 
was  influenced  by  these  things,  and  did  not  push  the  financial 
claims  of  Africa  as  hard  as  I might  have  done,  feeling  that 
there  was  some  reason  for  making  other  interests  important. 

At  the  Board  meeting  in  1899,  however,  I gave  notice  that 
it  was  my  intention  to  disobey  orders  the  following  year,  and 
open  a way  to  secure  funds  for  Africa  on  the  annuity  plan. 
This  I did,  and  when  I closed  my  work  as  secretary  there  was 
in  the  treasury  $19,465,  mostly  cash,  as  annuity  money.  Not 
a few  were  favorable  to  abandoning  work  in  Africa.  In  1899 
I wrote  as  follows:  “The  thought  of  abandoning  Africa  be- 


234 


In  the  Gospel  Ministry 

cause  of  the  great  slaughter  of  missionaries  there  found  no 
response  upon  my  part;  on  the  other  hand,  I felt  that  must 
not  be,  even  if  I must  go  once  more  to  the  dark  continent  my: 
self.  After  hearing  some  say  that  they  had  no  more  money 
for  Africa,  and  that  it  was  wrong  to  send  missionaries  there 
to  be  massacred,  my  reply  was  that  I was  ashamed  of  such 
United  Brethren.  Such  people  surely  do  not  comprehend  the 
situation.  They  generally  are  converted  from  the  error  of 
their  way  as  soon  as  proper  explanation  is  made  to  them. 

In  Mr.  Wilberforee  we  had  more  than  an  ordinary  mis- 
sionary. Being  an  educated  native,  with  years  of  experience 
as  teacher,  preacher,  diplomat,  and  general  superintendent 
of  missions,  loving  his  people,  he  was  a host  within  himself. 
Bishop  Hott,  in  1898,  wrote  the  following  respecting  him : 
“Wilberforee  belongs  to  us  all,  this  by  his  conversion  and  edu- 
cation in  America,  but  mostly  by  his  broad  mind  and  great 
heart,  and  great  hope  for  fruitage  of  the  work  of  all  the  mis- 
sionaries. The  last  time  I saw  him,  he  and  Mrs.  Wilberforee 
sat  with  me  in  his  own  room  in  Africa  till  two  hours  past 
midnight,  talking  of  the  great  work  to  be  done  for  Africa,  of 
plans  for  the  future  good  of  all  our  work,  and  God’s  love  to 
us  all.  He  had  forgotten  none  of  the  kindness  shown  him  by 
our  people  in  America.” 

Bishop  Kephart  the  same  year  wrote  as  follows : “I  shall 
never  forget  the  kindness  of  Brother  Wilberforee  and  family 
during  my  two  visits  to  that  dark  land.  A truer  and  nobler 
Christian  man  never  set  foot  in  Africa  than  D.  F.  Wilber- 
force.”  This  is  high  praise,  coming  from  two  bishops  who 
knew  Mr.  Wilberforee  for  many  years,  and  were  with  him  in 
Africa.  I have  known  Mr.  Wilberforee  from  his  infancy,  was 
intimately  connected  with  him  during  the  seven  years  he 
attended  school  in  Dayton,  Ohio,  and  know  fully  his  manner 
of  life,  and  the  great  work  he  has  done  in  Africa,  and  I am 
quite  sure  that  Bishops  Hott  and  Kephart  did  not  overesti- 
mate the  Christian  character  and  worth  to  the  cause  of  Christ 
of  Daniel  Flickinger  Wilberforee  at  that  time. 


235 


CHAPTER  LI. 


1900-01 — Radical  United  Brethren  Missionary  Work — After  Fifty- 
one  Years — Reason  for  Selecting  Africa. 

Some  facts  about  the  missionary  enterprises  of  the  Board 
which  I was  serving  during  several  years  may  be  of  interest. 

In  October,  1899,  Rev.  R.  A.  Morrison  was  sent  to  Africa 
to  superintend  the  erection  of  a boys’  home,  and  the  Jacob 
Phillips  and  Wife  Chapel.  That  chapel  was  built  at  a cost 
of  about  five  hundred  dollars,  which  sum  was  furnished  by 
Brother  and  Sister  Phillips.  Mr.  Morrison  succeeded  well 
in  that  work  until  disabled  by  sickness  in  the  month  of  May, 
1900,  when,  upon  the  advice  of  his  physician,  he  returned  to 
America  in  July.  During  Mr.  Morrison’s  visit  there  he  met 
with  Messers  Wilberforce,  Thomas,  and  Brainard,  and  held 
a mission  district  conference.  Two  small  schools  were  kept, 
and  considerable  itinerating  done,  but  as  the  war  had  killed 
and  scattered  over  sixty  members,  no  reorganization  of  the 
church  had  been  attempted  since. 

On  the  last  day  of  September,  1900,  Rev.  B.  O.  Hazzard 
and  wife  sailed  from  New  York  for  Africa,  and  reached  Dan- 
ville, November  14.  He  went  as  acting  superintendent  of 
Imperri  mission,  .with  instructions  to  erect  the  girls’  home 
for  the  Woman’s  Missionary  Association;  his  wife  to  gather 
up  the  school  children  and  care  for  them.  Mrs.  Hazzard  soon 
became  incapacitated  by  sickness,  and  had  to  go  to  England 
for  treatment,  and  then  came  to  the  United  States.  Mr. 
Hazzard  stayed  there,  and  died  in  July,  1902.  Mr.  Hazzard 
did  well  in  managing  business  matters,  and  in  holding  meet- 
ings and  getting  the  people  aroused  to  a sense  of  duty.  Some 
were  converted  and  brought  into  the  service  of  the  Master 
through  his  labors. 


236 


In  the  Gospel  Ministry 

Mr.  Wilberforce  becoming  paramount  chief,  his  duties  were 
such  as  to  prevent  him  from  doing  much  for  missions;  this 
was  a great  drawback  to  the  work  there. 

Suggestions  appearing  that  the  Board  had  better  quit 
Africa  and  commence  missions  in  Cuba,  led  me  to  protest  as 
follows:  “It  is  all  right  to  go  to  other  places,  if  men  and 

women  are  available  for  such  undertakings,  but  to  cease  in 
Africa  would  be  like  leaving  a man  with  both  limbs  and  arms 
broken  unhelped,  for  the  sake  of  helping  a man  with  only  one 
arm  broken. 

“The  United  Brethren  Church  fifty-one  years  ago  attacked 
heathenism  in  one  of  its  strongholds,  and  by  God’s  help  has 
had  success,  as  the  good  work  done  at  Shenge,  Rotifunk, 
Bonthe,  Avery,  Bompetook,  Koolong,  Mambo,  Manoh,  Dan- 
ville, and  other  places  in  Africa  attest.  Thousands  have  been 
enlightened,  hundreds  saved,  and  scores  have  gone  to  heaven 
as  a result  of  our  mission  work  there.  It  did  much  toward 
making  Bonthe  a city  of  eight  thousand  people,  and  Freetown 
a city  of  forty  thousand  people,  and  to  increase  the  commerce 
of  the  country  in  which  it  labors  two  hundred  per  cent,  above 
what  it  was  fifty-one  years  ago,  requiring  the  building  of  a 
railroad  from  Freetown  in  a southeasterly  direction  through 
Rotifunk  and  Moyamba,  and  other  mission  stations  on  its 
line.  Shall  we  quit  Africa  now,  after  doing  so  much  hard 
Avork  and  making  so  many  sacrifices,  and  leave  it  for  others  to 
gather  the  glorious  harvest  of  souls  which  is  sure  to  be 
gathered  there  soon  bv  those  who  cultivate  that  field?  ‘Tell 
it  not  in  Gath,  publish  it  not  in  the  streets  of  Askelon,  lest 
the  daughters  of  the  Philistines  rejoice,  lest  the  daughters  of 
the  uncircumcised  triumph.’ 

“ ‘Slow  as  the  work  of  Christianizing  the  people  of  Africa 
has  been,  it  is  more  rapid,’  says  Mr.  Green,  an  accredited 
English  historian,  ‘than  it  was  to  bring  Great  Britain  under 
the  influence  of  Christianity,’  so  that  we  ought  not  be  discour- 
aged on  that  account.  The  meeting  at  whieh  it  was  decided 
what  heathen  country  avc  should  first  commence  mission  work 


237 


Fifty-five  Years  of  Active  Life 


in,  was  held  in  the  autumn  of  1853.  Bishops  Glossbrenner, 
Edwards,  and  Davis,  and  Bev.  J.  C.  Bright,  the  secretary  of 
the  Board  of  Missions  then,  were  the  leading  spirits  of  that 
meeting.  After  these  men  considered  the  question  carefully. 
Bishop  Edwards  moved  that  Africa  be  chosen  as  our  foreign 
mission  field.  His  reasons  were  that  it  was  more  available  to 
us  than  any  other,  and  that  being  an  anti-slavery  Church,  we 
should  do  what  we  could  to  break  the  chains  by  which 
negroes  are  made  slaves  in  Africa  and  also  in  America.  Not 
only  the  three  bishops  and  the  secretary  of  the  Board,  but  all 
the  voters  of  that  meeting  unanimously  agreed  to  make 
Africa  our  mission  field.  Quit  Africa  now,  and  impeach  the 
wisdom  of  this  trio  of  bishops  who  chose  Africa  as  our  field — 
these  men  who  never  had  their  superiors  in  this  or  any  other 
church  as  wise  masterbuilders,  able  expounders  of  God’s 
Word,  and  zeal  for  God’s  glory  in  the  salvation  of  mankind? 
We  quit  Africa?  ‘Let  my  right  hand  forget  her  cunning,  and 
my  tongue  cleave  to  the  roof  of  my  mouth,’  if  I vote  to  do 
such  an  unscriptural  and  foolish  thing  as  that.” 


238 


CHAPTER  LII. 


1901-02 — Division — A Plea  for  Different  Methods — "Feel  Bad  Too 
Much.” 

Two  things  gave  me  much  anxiety  and  real  grief  at  times 
during  this  year.  The  one  was  the  controversy  and  division 
among  the  members  of  the  Publishing  House  Board  of  the 
Church  of  which  I was  a member.  Being  in  Huntington, 
where  the  Board  and  its  committee  had  its  meetings,  I was 
counseled  a good  deal,  and  knowing  the  great  distance  that 
one  side  was  from  the  other,  and  the  bitterness  existing, 
it  caused  me  real  sorrow.  Church  quarrels  alienate  lifelong 
friends  and  destroy  confidence  among  the  most  intimate. 
They  are  earthly,  sensual,  devilish.  To  my  certain  knowledge 
this  quarrel  kept  the  Missionary  Society  from  getting  five 
thousand  dollars,  and  kept  Central  College  from  having  a 
chair  endowed. 

The  other  cause  of  anxiety  and  grief  was  the  want  of  suc- 
cess in  the  frontier  department  of  mission  work.  In  my  re- 
port to  the  Board  of  Missions  at  its  annual  meeting  in  June, 
1903,  I pointed  out  the  losses  in  membership  in  the  Western 
conferences  from  1899  to  1903.  A comparison  of  the  figures 
of  the  self-supporting  conferences  showed  that  in  the  first  two 
years  of  the  quadrennium  the  losses  had  been  heavy,  probably 
resulting  from  inaccuracies  in  the  Year  Book;  but  neverthe- 
less there  was  a considerable  decrease  in  membership. 

I had  for  years  opposed  the  action  of  the  Board  in  doling 
out  small  appropriations  to  many  places,  which  caused  me  to 
say  in  my  report : “Ever  since  my  connection  with  this  Board 
of  Missions  I have  grieved  at  our  want  of  success  in  our 
frontier  missions,  and  have  stoutly  protested  against  the  pol- 


239 


Fifty-five  Years  of  Active  Life 

icy  of  dribbling  out  appropriations  to  unsuccessful  missions. 
Far  better  let  them  be  without  appropriations,  and  give  others 
enough  to  employ  efficient  laborers  and  keep  them  until  suc- 
cess is  assured.  If  the  objection  is  urged  that  to  wholly 
neglect  such  will  eventuate  in  their  death,  the  answer  is,  they 
are  dying  with  the  little  they  now  receive.  Better  support 
half  of  our  missions  in  a way  to  make  them  self-support- 
ing, than  to  keep  all  so  feebly  that  they  are  constantly 
decreasing,  many  of  them  to  die  in  the  near  future,  if  we  may 
judge  the  future  from  the  past.  Had  we  abandoned  about 
half  a dozen  of  these  unsuccessful  mission  fields  six  years 
ago,  and  operated  missions  in  such  places  as  Oklahoma,  Man- 
itoba, and  Alberta,  where  many  of  our  people  have  gone  and 
are  going,  we  would  no  doubt  be  rejoicing  over  our  success  in 
these  places,  instead  of  lamenting  our  failures  where  we  have 
been  working.” 

The  death  of  Mr.  Hazzard  in  July,  1902,  made  it  im- 
portant to  send  some  white  missionaries  to  Africa,  and  I spent 
some  time  writing  and  visiting  persons  whom  it  was  thought 
might  go.  In  March,  1903,  Bev.  A.  F.  Stoltz,  of  Ontario,  and 
his  wife,  were  appointed  by  the  joint  action  of  both  the  parent 
Board’s  executive  committee  and  the  Woman’s  Missionary 
Association,  he  to  be  the  superintendent  of  the  Board’s  mis- 
sions, and  she  to  work  for  the  Woman’s  Missionary  Associa- 
tion. Mr.  Wilberforce  had  looked  after  businesss  matters 
somewhat,  and  had  done  some  repairing  on  Phillips  Chapel, 
but  his  chieftaincy  had  kept  him  so  busy  that  he  could  not  do 
all  that  was  necessary. 

One  of  our  boatmen  in  Africa,  by  the  name  of  Alfred,  a 
conscientious,  honest  heathen,  after  he  had  professed  religion 
for  some  time  once  came  to  me  to  confess  that  he  had  done 
wrong,  saying : “Massa,  I feel  bad  for  that  ting  I do,”  telling 
of  a blunder  he  had  made.  “I  feel  bad  too  much.  I feel  all 
the  same  like  one  big,  big  cockroach  run  up  my  back.”  Cock- 
roaches are  numerous  there,  and  often  run  over  one  when 
asleep,  and  to  naked  negroes  their  running  up  the  back  pro- 


240 


MARTYR  MEMORIAL  CHURCH 


FLICKINdER  CHAPEL,  SHENGE,  AFRICA 


In  the  Gospel  Ministry 

duces  very  unpleasant  sensations.  This  same  Alfred,  just 
after  we  had  landed  one  evening,  after  a hard  day’s  rowing,  in 
answer  to  my  saying  to  the  boatmen,  “You  did  well,  boys,’” 
replied,  “Yes,  Massa,  we  tried  hard  to  please  you,  but  we 
ought  to ' you  come  far,  and  you  give  money,  and  you  sick 
plenty  for  we  people,  to  tell  us  of  God  and  heaven,  and  we 
ought  to  be  good.”  In  less  than  a year  after  that  he  died, 
and  no  doubt  went  to  the  saints’  rest  in  heaven. 


16 


241 


CHAPTER  LIII. 


1902-03 — Gave  a Bible  to  a Mohammedan — A Rooster  for  Missions — 
A Native’s  Contribution — Neither  Poverty  nor  Riches. 

As  nothing  of  a special  character  occurred  in  this  year,  I 
wish  here  to  relate  several  incidents  which  have  come  under 
my  observation,  and  which  contain  good  suggestions. 

The  first  is  fhe  conduct  of  a Mohammedan  head  man  who 
visited  Shenge  occasionally,  and  with  whom  Mr.  Gomer  and 
I had  pleasant  and  profitable  interviews.  The  last  time  I 
saw  him  was  on  the  veranda  of  the  mission  house  at  Shenge, 
when  Mr.  Gomer  gave  him  an  Arabic  Bible.  The  American 
Bible  Society  had  made  us  a grant  of  Bibles  and  Testaments, 
and  among  them  were  a few  Arabic  Bibles,  for  distribution 
among  the  Mohammedans.  This  man  was  cleanly  dressed 
in  Mohammedan  costume,  and  had  the  reputation  of  keeping 
the  town  over  which  he  presided  the  cleanest  of  any  in  that 
country.  He  was  much  inclined  to  learn  the  real  object  of 
our  mission,  and  had  asked  for  a Bible  that  he  could  read. 
When  he  received  that  Bible  he  arose  and  put  a cloth  he  had 
on  the  floor,  and  the  Bible  on  it;  then  he  reverently  kneeled 
down  and  opened  the  book,  having  first  wiped  his  fingers 
clean  so  that  the  perspiration  on  them  would  not  soil  its 
leaves.  He  then  said  that  he  would  now  have  to  keep  himself 
clean  and  not  lust  after  women  or  do  anything  bad  when  he 
read  that  book.  In  the  meantime  he  lifted  his  eyes  to  heaven 
in  a devotional  manner,  after  which  he  arose  from  his  knees, 
wrapped  up  the  book  carefully  in  the  cloth  he  had  put  under 
it,  bade  us  good-by,  and  left  highly  pleased  to  get  a Bible, 
which  no  doubt  he  read  carefully. 

A rather  amusing,  and  in  a way  impressive  affair,  occurred 
at  a conference  held  in  Illinois  some  years  ago.  A preacher 


242 


In  the  Gospel  Ministry 


had  found  it  difficult  to  get  his  full  assessment  of  money  for 
missions,  and  finally  told  the  people  he  would  take  produce, 
or  any  thing  they  could  give,  if  they  had  not  the  money. 
They  being  farmers,  some  gave  farm  products,  which  he  sold, 
putting  the  money  into  this  fund.  On  his  way  to  conference 
he  stopped  with  a family  w'ho  told  him  they  had  no  money, 
or  anything  else  that  they  could  spare  except  a rooster. 
He  accepted  that  gift,  and  brought  the  rooster  to  the  con- 
ference, and  when  called  on  to  make  his  report,  said  that  he 
had  collected  so  much  money  for  missions,  and  had  a rooster 
to  turn  over  to  the  missionary  treasurer.  He  was  then  told 
by  the  bishop  to  sell  the  fowl  and  give  the  money;  so  he  an- 
nounced that  when  conference  adjourned  at  noon  he  would 
auction  off  that  chicken  to  the  highest  bidder.  This  he  did, 
and  secured  a good  price  for  it,  adding  the  money  to  his  re- 
port. 

Soon  after  the  organization  of  our  first  church  at  Shenge, 
in  Africa,  we  concluded  to  hold  a missionary  meeting  to 
enlist  as  many  as  possible  in  the  missionary  enterprise.  We 
appointed  the  meeting  for  Saturday  evening,  and  told  the 
people  that  they  should  come  prepared  to  give  what  they 
could.  Among  the  donors  was  a very  poor  woman,  who  at 
noon  on  that  day  came  to  the  mission  house  bringing  a nice 
young  rooster,  which  she  said  was  all  she  had,  and  asked  us 
to  buy  it  and  give  her  the  money.  We  gave  her  twenty-five 
cents,  about  five  cents  more  than  the  fowl  was  worth,  and  she 
went  away  happy.  She  was  at  the  meeting  that  night  looking 
pleased,  and  when  the  collection  was  taken  put  in  all  she  got 
for  her  fowl.  I know  people  who  do  deny  themselves  of  some 
things,  such  as  coffee,  tea,  sugar,  and  other  gratifications,  to 
be  able  to  give  to  God’s  cause,  especially  to  missions.  I could 
tell  of  men  and  women  who  had  old  clothes  made  over  and 
mended  to  save  the  money  that  new  clothes  would  have  cost, 
that  they  might  give  to  missions.  Put  these  things  beside 
the  Savior’s  words  to  Peter,  when  he  said  to  him,  “Lo,  we 
have  left  all  and  followed  thee,”  or  when  he  said,  “Verily,  I 


243 


Fifty- five  Years  of  Active  Life 

say  unto  you,  there  is  no  man  hath  left  houses,  or  parents, 
or  brethren,  or  wife,  or  children,  for  the  kingdom  of  God’s 
sake,  who  will  not  receive  manifold  more  in  this  present 
time,  and  in  the  world  to  come  life  everlasting.”  Giving  up 
this  world  for  Christ’s  sake  is,  after  all,  the  certain  way  to 
possess  and  enjoy  it.  Mark  the  words,  “They  shall  receive 
manifold  more  in  this  present  time,”  that  is,  get  back  in 
blessings  from  God  more  than  they  gave.  “It  is  more  blessed 
to  give  than  to  receive.” 

Having  a native  carpenter  in  Africa  to  do  some  work,  he 
walked  a quarter  of  a mile  to  tell  me  he  wished  one  of  the 
laborers  to  bring  him  a board  which  was  a quarter  of  a mile 
from  where  he  worked  in  the  other  direction.  He  was  told  to 
go  and  get  it  himself,  when  he  replied  that  that  was  common 
laborers’  work.  As  the  same  man  had  been  employed  as  a 
laborer  before,  he  was  at  once  dismissed  as  carpenter  and 
hired  as  laborer,  whereupon  he  brought  the  board.  Then  he 
was  made  carpenter  again  to  go  on  and  finish  the  work  he  had 
commenced. 

Twice  in  my  life  I have  declined  opportunities  for  becom- 
ing rich  because  the  good  Spirit  impressed  me  that  it  would 
interfere  with  my  work  of  going  to  Africa,  and  might  not  be 
a blessing  to  me.  I was  offered  a farm,  now  a part  of  West 
Dayton,  by  its  owners,  and  urged  to  buy  it.  Another  man 
bought  it,  and  it  made  him  quite  rich.  At  another  time  I was 
offered,  and  seriously  thought  of  buying,  twenty  acres  of  land 
now  in  Dayton  at  $200  an  acre,  which  was  made  to  net  $1,000 
an  acre  soon  after.  The  consideration  of  this  opportunity 
caused  me  a sleepless  night,  when  it  was  deeply  impressed  on 
me  that  I ought  not  make  such  a purchase.  God  in  his  gopd- 
ness  and  wisdom  has  given  me  neither  riches  nor  poverty.  I 
have  had  and  still  have  a competency  which  was  best  for  me, 
my  family,  and  God’s  cause. 


244 


CHAPTER  LIY. 


1903-04 — Trouble  and  Sickness — African  Incidents — The  Converted 
Deck-hand — Won  the  Debate. 

This  year  was  one  of  great  mental  and  physical  suffering 
at  times,  and  of  great  enjoyment  at  other  times.  The  corn 
tention  between  the  majority  and  minority  members  of  the 
Publishing  House  Board  caused  me  deep  solicitude,  and  gave 
me  some  extra  and  unpleasant  work.  This  quarrel  affected 
the  whole  Church  and  militated  against  its  success.  But  for 
tlie  fact  that  that  church  is  made  up  mostly  of  substantial 
Christians  who  greatly  love  her  principles  and  are  willing 
to  suffer  much  for  them,  this  controversy  would  have  torn  it 
to  pieces. 

My  physical  suffering  was  caused  by  an  attack  of  sickness 
during  the  month  of  March,  1904,  which  at  times  seemed  to 
threaten  my  life. 

In  contrast  to  these  sufferings  were  months  of  remark- 
ably good  health,  when  it  was  a delight  to  work.  Then  the 
more  than  usual  prosperity  of  the  African  missions,  as  car- 
ried on  by  the  United  Brethren  churches  was  a source  of  re- 
joicing. United  Brethren  missions  in  Africa  have  landed 
many  scores  of  souls  in  heaven,  and  helped  hundreds  to  a 
better  life  on  earth.  Because  of  these  things  we  have  cause 
to  rejoice,  thank  God,  and  take  courage. 

Among  the  most  successful  missionaries  we  ever  employed 
in  Africa  was  a colored  layman,  Mr.  Gomer.  Before  he  "be- 
came a Christian  he  was  a wicked,  ignorant  sailor,  on  Lake 
Michigan.  One  night  passing  a church  in  Chicago,  he  heard 
beautiful  music  and  was  led  to  enter.  ’While  there  the  Spirit 
of  God  opened  his  blind  eyes,  and  helped  him  submit  to 


245 


Fifty-jive  Years  of  Active  Life 

Christ.  He  said,  when  examined  as  to  his  fitness  for  mission 
work,  “I  believe  that  I can  make  the  heathen  in  Africa  see 
how  I was  saved,  and  thereby  lead  them  to  accept  Christ.” 
He  was  sent  to  Africa  and  made  his  statements  true.  For 
twenty  years  he  did  successfully  lead  many  to  Christ  by  his 
life  and  teachings. 

A native  of  Africa  was  coming  to  the  United  States  as  a 
sailor  on  a sailing  vessel.  When  off  of  Cape  Hatteras  in  April 
we  experienced  a snow  squall,  and  the  large  flakes  of  snow 
bit  his  fingers  a good  deal  with  cold  while  he  was  at  work. 
He  rubbed  his  hands  briskly,  and  said,  “Dem  big,  white  mos- 
quito; he  bite  too  much.” 

Mr.  Wilberforce  had  a servant  boy  who  was  a little  dull 
and  did  not  like  to  wash  in  the  morning.  He  was  on  a row- 
boat with  us,  going  up  a river  in  Africa,  when  we  anchored 
during  the  night  for  sleep.  At  dawn  of  day  we  aroused  our 
boatmen,  and  they  all  washed  except  the  boy.  He  was  quite 
at  the  end  of  the  boat,  which  the  boatmen  tipped  suddenly, 
and  pitched  the  lad  into  the  water.  Then  they  all  laughed 
heartily  and  said,  “Ah,  Mr.  Wilberforce’s  boy  get  one  good 
wash  that  time.” 

Children  in  Africa  are  much  averse  to  wearing  clothes, 
having  gone  naked  always.  We  could  not  allow  them  to  at- 
tend school  in  a nude  state,  and  hence  we  furnished  gowns 
to  those  who  came  to  both  day  and  Sunday  schools.  They 
would  throw  them  away  as  soon  as  school  was  out,  and  come 
naked  next  time,  so  we  adopted  the  plan  of  keeping  a box  of 
clothes  at  the  school,  and  would  put  clothes  on  them  while 
they  were  there,  then  take  them  off  and  send  them  away 
naked,  thus  keeping  their  clothes  for  the  next  time. 

One  of  the  natives,  describing  the  order  of  creation  said, 
“God  made  white  man  early  in  the  morning,  which  give  him 
plenty  time  to  teach  him  many  things,”  which  accounted  for 
his  knowing  so  much.  “Next  day  he  make  Mohammedan, 
and  told  him  a good  many  things ; last  he  made  the  Sherbro 
man,  and  then  sun  go  down  and  he  could  only  take  time  to 


246 


In  the  Gospel  Ministry 

show  him  a few  things,  such  as  to  make  salt,  country  cloth, 
and  a few  other  things.”  That  was  the  reason  they  knew  so 
little. 

I went  to  hold  a meeting  in  a new  country  place  in  the 
Miami  Conference  over  thirty  years  ago,  the  pastor  being 
called  away.  The  pastor  had  written  to  me  to  stop  with  a 
certain  brother  living  near  the  church,  which  I did,  getting 
there  Saturday  evening.  The  small  house  was  nicely  white- 
washed, the  yard  clean,  and  all  looked  neat  and  comfortable. 
Next  morning  at  breakfast  my  host,  a man  of  about  sixty, 
said  he  must  hurry  off  to  sweep  the  church  and  get  ready  for 
Sunday  school  at  nine  o’clock.  I went  later,  and  found  that 
the  man  was  superintendent  of  the  school  and  class-leader, 
and  was  indeed  the  foremost  member  of  that  church.  I went 
to  another  place  for  dinner,  and  there  the  following  was  told 
me  respecting  this  gentleman.  He  had  been  very  wicked  up 
to  about  forty  years  of  age,  when  he  became  a Christian.  He 
had  been  a deckhand  on  a steamboat  on  the  Ohio  River,  and 
would  come  home  drunk  and  abuse  his  wife  so  that  at  times 
she  had  to  flee  to  the  neighbors  for  protection.  An  infidel 
moved  into  that  neighborhood,  and  had  challenged  every 
preacher  that  had  come  there  to  debate  with  him  on  the  sub- 
ject of  Christianity.  This  brother  finally  got  tired  hearing 
these  challenges  to  debate  the  question  as  to  whether  there 
was  a reality  in  the  religion  of  Christ,  and  told  the  infidel 
that  he  would  debate  with  him.  To  this  the  infidel  agreed. 
The  Christian  was  to  make  the  first  address,  and  he  would 
reply.  They  met  on  a week  night  in  the  church;  the  house 
was  packed.  The  infidel  brought  books,  and  paper  and  pencil 
to  take  notes.  The  old  Christian  took  his  place  in  front  of 
the  pulpit  and  said,  “Friends  and  neighbors,  you  have  known 
me  for  twenty  years;  ten  of  these  I was  a drunkard,  and 
fought  and  swore,  and  as  you  know,  abused  my  family,  and 
was  a terror  to  all  the  neighborhood  at  times.  Then,  at  a 
meeting  held  in  this  house,  I bowed  at  this  altar  and  God 
saved  me.  I at  once  left  my  wicked  associates,  quit  getting 


247 


Fifty-five  Years  of  Active  Life 

drunk,  ceased  to  swear  and  fight,  and  I have  lived  differently 
ever  since.  I then  lived  in  a tumble-down  cabin  that  was  not 
my  own,  and  poorly  provided  for  my  family.  I.  now  own  and 
have  paid  for  forty  acres  of  ground,  we  have  a comfortable 
home,  and  wife  and  I live  happily,  and  all  this  because  I be- 
came a Christian;  and  now  I leave  you  to  judge  whether 
there  is  any  reality  in  the  religion  of  Christ.”  After  making 
these  statements,  which  occupied  twenty  minutes,  he  sat 
down. 

The  infidel  sat  there  with  pencil  and  paper  in  his  hands, 
and  eyes  and  ears  wide  open,  but  not  a word  had  he  written. 
The  old  brother  quitting  so  unexpectedly  almost  took  his 
breath,  but  he  arose  after  a little  while,  and  clearing  his  throat 
said  he  had  come  there  to  debate,  and  to  show  that  there  was 
nothing  in  what  people  called  religion,  but  his  opponent  had 
said  nothing  he  *could  reply  to.  Then  he  again  cleared  his 
throat  and  stood  awhile,  not  knowing  what  to  do,  when  one  of 
the  wickedest  men  in  the  house  called  out,  “Hurrah  for  Father 
\Y.”  Others  joined  him  in  cheering  the  old  saint,  and  the 
whole  congregation  left  the  house  in  a titter.  That  old  man’s 
argument  was  of  the  unanswerable  kind.  His  changed  life 
showed  that  religion  is  good.  Holy  living  is  an  argument 
that  infidelity  can’t  gainsay ; has  never  yet  been  able  to  meet, 
and  never  will.  The  world  needs  good  living  quite  as  much 
as  it  needs  good  preaching.  Living  epistles,  known  and  read 
of  all  men,  often  are  more  effective  than  the  printed  Bible. 


24S 


CHAPTER  LY. 


1904-05 — Grieved — Saddening  Events — Retires  from  the  Missionary 
Secretaryship — Reunites  with  Miami  Conference. 

As  I entered  itpon  my  fifty-fifth  year  of  ministerial  work, 
there  were  circumstances  existing  that  were  perplexing.  I 
will  quote  from  a letter  published  in  November,  1904:  “I 

came  from  the  Liberal  to  the  Radical  United  Brethren 
Church  in  good  faith,  expecting  to  work  for  its  success  as 
long  as  I had  strength.  In  the  providence  of  God  a place 
has  been  given  me  which  has  enabled  me  to  pursue  the  line 
of  work  to  which  I had  consecrated  my  life,  and  in  filling 
the  place  given  me  I have  been  happy,  and  measurably  suc- 
cessful. My  relations  to  the  ministry  and  laity  of  the  church 
have  been  pleasant,  except  the  little  friction  with  a few 
growing  out  of  the  disagreement  of  the  Publishing  Board. 
For  a time  I tried  hard  to  be  neutral  on  that  matter,  but, 
being  right  here  in  the  printing  establishment,  and  both 
sides  coming  to  my  office  for  counsel.  I was  reluctantly  drawn 
ipto  taking  sides,  sometimes  with  the  one,  and  at  times  with 
the  other  side.  The  methods  pursued  were  not  as  I felt 
they  should  have  been,  which  made  me  oppose  them.  The 
matter  lias  gone  on  from  bad  to  worse,  until  the  contention 
between  the  parties  has  become  a disgrace  to  Christianity. 
More  than  the  death  of  near  and  dear  friends,  this  church 
trouble  has  been  to  me  the  most  grievous  burden  of  my  life. 
Three  times,  once  in  Africa,  another  time  in  Germany,  and  at 
one  time  in  the  mission  room  here  in  Huntington,  I felt  so 
heartbroken  over  mishaps  which  had  befallen  our  Zion  that  I 
feared  they  would  kill  me;  and  I still  believe  they  would, 
had  not  my  kind  Father  in  heaven  removed  these  burdens  in 
answer  to  prayer.” 


249 


Fifty-five  Years  of  Active  Life 

Another  sad  and  discouraging  occurrence  that  took  place 
this  year  was  the  discreditable  reports  concerning  the  atti- 
tude of  Mr.  Wilberforce.  Rumors  had  reached  the  Mission 
Board  that  Rev.  D.  F.  Wilberforce  had  been  guilty  of  prac- 
tices not  in  accord  with  Christianity.  It  was  sad  to  think 
that  Mr.  Wilberforce,  after  acquitting  himself  so  nobly  for 
about  thirty  years,  as  a student,  a teacher,  a preacher,  a 
diplomat,  a missionary,  and  an  African  chief,  should  bring 
dishonor  upon  the  cause  of  Christ.  Subsequent  developments 
in  the  case  of  Mr.  Wilberforce  fully  exonerated  him  from  the 
charge  that  he  had  become  a cannibal.  After  a most  de- 
termined effort  to  convict  him  of  that  crime  before  the  high- 
est court  in  Sierra  Leone,  the  jury  that  sat  in  the  case  unani- 
mously acquitted  him.  He  had  adhered  to  and  advocated 
Christianity  all  the  time.  His  becoming  a chief  may  have  led 
him  to  do  some  questionable  things,  and  the  combined  pow- 
ers of  Mohammedanism,  poroism,  and  heathenism,  inspired 
by  Satan,  put  forth  their  best  efforts  to  destroy  him  and 
Christianity  in  that  part  of  Africa.  It  is  not  too  much  to 
hope  that  Jesus  Christ,  who  forgave  St.  Peter,  and  afterward 
helped  him  to  preach  such  a wonderful  sermon  that  three 
thousand  were  added  to  the  church  in  one  day,  may  yet  use 
Mr.  Wilberforce  to  lead  thousands  from  heathenism  to  Chris- 
tianity. 

Aside  from  these  saddening  experiences,  my  work  during 
this  last  year  of  my  active  labors,  was  pleasant,  and  reason- 
ably successful.  My  relation  to  the  Board  of  Missions  of  the 
Radical  United  Brethren  Church  ceased  the  first  of  June, 
1905.  In  my  valedictory,  in  the  Missionary  Monthly,  I said: 

“We  have  edited  the  first  eight  pages  of  this  magazine  since 
July,  1897.  The  secretary  of  the  Woman’s  Missionary  Asso- 
ciation has  edited  the  other  eight  pages.  The  Parent  Board 
and  the  Woman’s  Missionary  Association,  in  publishing  this 
paper,  and  working  conjointly  in  Africa,  have  achieved  success 
in  these  departments  of  labor  which  otherwise  could  not  have 
been  accomplished. 


250 


In  the  Gospel  Ministry 


“During  the  eight  years  we  have  served  as  secretary  of  the 
Parent  Board  our  relations  to  the  officers  and  employees  of 
the  printing  establishment  have  been  agreeable,  and  we  retire 
from  our  work  with  the  kindest  of  feelings  toward  all,  leav- 
ing the  Missionary  Society  which  we  have  served  in  good  con- 
dition financially. 

“We  take  pleasure  in  introducing  to  our  readers  Rev.  J. 
Howe,  our  successor,  and  bespeak  for  him  the  hearty 
cooperation  of  all  the  friends  of  missions.  Mr.  Howe,  no 
doubt,  will  ably  edit  his  part  of  this  magazine,  and  faithfully 
do  the  work  to  which  he  is  called  as  secretary. 

“When,  in  December,  1895,  we  withdrew  from  the  Liberal 
and  joined  the  Radical  wing  of  the  United  Brethren  Church, 
we  felt  that  to  be  the  right  thing  for  us  to  do,  for  various 
reasons,  especially  as  that  opened  the  way  to  continue  to  la- 
bor for  the  cause  of  missions  in  Africa,  to  which  work  we  had 
given  a large  portion  of  forty  years  before.  Fifty  years  ago 
we  were  in  Africa,  and  in  thought  and  sympathy  we  have 
been  there  ever  since,  and  there  in  person  at  twelve  different 
times. 

“In  view  of  the  bitter  controversy  among  the  leaders  of  our 
church,  and  the  seeming  impossibility  of  their  being  recon- 
ciled, we  now  feel  it  will  be  right,  and  it  may  become  our 
duty,  to  withdraw  from  it,  etc.” 

The  following  resolution  was  adopted  by  a rising  vote  by 
the  Board  of  Missions  in  1905: 

“In  consideration  of  the  fact  that  the  infirmities  of  old  age 
compel  Dr.  D.  K.  Flickinger  to  retire  from  active  service  with 
our  missionary  work,  we  wish  hereby  to  express  our  apprecia- 
tion of  his  valuable  labors  in  the  past,  and  we  shall  also  pray 
that  he.  may  yet  live  to  give  us  his  counsel,  and  that  a kind 
providence  may  give  him  a happy  and  peaceful  old  age,  and  a 
triumphant  entrance  into  everlasting  life.” 

I close  with  the  statement  that  during  the  time  I was  a 
member  of  the  Radical  United  Brethren  Church  my  member- 
ship was  in  the  Scioto  Annual  Conference.  In  October,  1904, 


251 


Fifty-five  Years  of  Active  Life 


I took  a transfer  and  letter  from  the  class  to  which  I belonged 
in  that  conference,  and  in  December,  1905,  I joined  the  First 
United  Brethren  Church  in  Indianapolis,  Ind.  In  August, 
1906,  I was  received  into  the  Miami  Annual  Conference,  to 
which  I had  belonged  for  years.  During  the  last  two  years  I 
have  had  no  regular  work,  but  have  preached  and  lectured  on 
missions  about  once  a month.  Old  age  and  new  infirmities 
give  me  good  reasons  for  not  attempting  much  public  speak- 
ing, though  I love  it  dearly.  I have  spent  much  time  in  read- 
ing the  Bible  and  meditating  upon  its  wonderful  teachings. 
Truly,  “Thy  word  is  a lamp  unto  my  feet,  and  a light  unto 
my  path.” 


252 


CHAPTER  LVI. 


1905-07 — Reflex  Influence  of  Foreign  Missions — A Difficult  Field — 
Results — A Glorious  Future. 

Many  thousands  have  been  saved  to  Christ  and  our  Church 
in  the  United  States  because  of  missions,  during  the  last 
fifty  years.  Money  has  never  been  more  wisely  expended  than 
it  has  been  in  this  work,  nor  can  it  be.  Our  missionaries  in 
this  country  have  received  as  many  into  the  Church  as  our 
entire  membership  is  now,  I believe.  The  self-supporting 
churches  have  also  increased  much  in  numbers  and  efficiency 
because  of  the  missionary  spirit  awakened  among  them  dur- 
ing the  last  half  century.  Our  magnificent  printing  estab- 
lishment in  Dayton,  Ohio,  Union  Biblical  Seminary,  our 
colleges.  Sabbath  schools,  and  other  departments  of  the 
Church,  have  been  greatly  helped  by  these  missions. 

In  Porto  Rico,  China,  Japan,  and  Africa,  abundant  suc- 
cess has  been  achieved  in  proportion  to  the  labor  and  money 
expended.  I am  certain  that  our  success  in  the  part  of  Africa 
we  are  in  is  greater  than  that  of  any  other  church  there,  in 
proportion  to  the  money  expended  and  labor  done.  There  is 
good  reason  for  believing  the  same  is  true  of  most  of  our  other 
foreign  missions,  but  not  being  acquainted  with  them  as  I 
am  with  the  African  mission,  I cannot  speak  of  them  so  posi- 
tively. 

Western  Africa,  especially  Sierra  Leone  and  the  country 
adjacent  to  it,  because  of  the  unhealthfulness  of  its  climate 
and  the  deep  degradation  of  its  people,  has  been  one  of  the 
most  difficult  mission  fields  in  the  world.  The  Church  of 
England,  in  a book  entitled,  “Missionary  Records,”  and  the 
Wesleyans  of  Great  Britain,  in  Fox’s  history  of  their  missions, 
show  that  scores  of  lives  were  sacrificed,  and  multiplied  thou- 


253 


Fifty-five  Years  of  Active  Life 

sands  of  dollars  expended,  just  to  commence  their  missions  in 
Africa.  Mendi  mission  also  buried  a number  of  its  mission- 
aries and  spent  over  half  a million  of  dollars,  before  that 
mission  was  given  to  us.  Our  sacrifices  of  life  and  money  are 
very  small,  even  counting  the  sad  loss  of  the  eight  white 
missionaries  who  were  cruelly  massacred  in  1898,  in  com- 
parison with  what  other  churches  have  endured. 

And  now  what  have  the  churches  of  Great  Britain  and  the 
United  States  to  show  for  the  hundreds  of  lives  and  millions 
of  dollars  given  to  Christianize  Africa  ? 

If  those  who  doubt  the  wisdom  of  sending  missionaries  to 
heathen  lands  could  see  that  part  of  Africa  in  which  our 
missions  are  located,  and  ride  on  the  railroad  one  hundred 
and  fifty  miles  inland  from  Freetown,  through  half  a dozen 
towns  in  which  we  have  mission  stations,  and  note  what  has 
been  done  in  these  and  more  than  a score  of  other  places 
where  missionaries  teach  school  and  preach  the  gospel,  they 
would  forever  dismiss  all  doubts  as  to  whether  missionaries 
ought  to  go  there.  That  country,  so  cursed  with  cannibalism, 
polygamy,  witchcraft,  and  devil  worship,  has  changed  much 
for  the  better  in  fifty  years.  All  honor  to  the  noble  men  and 
women  now  there  doing  much  to  pull  down  the  strongholds  of 
Satan  and  build  up  the  kingdom  of  God ! Greater  victories 
ought  and  will  be  achieved  in  the  future  than  in  the  past, 
in  the  department  of  mission  work  at  home  and  abroad,  by  us 
as  a church,  if  we  do  our  duty.  The  Captain  of  our  salvation 
“must  reign  till  he  hath  put  all  enemies  under  his  feet.”  He 
said,  when  upon  earth,  “He  that  believeth  on  me,  the  works 
that  I do  shall  ye  do  also ; and  greater  works  than  these  shall 
he  do,  because  I go  unto  my  Father.”  Greater  works  were 
done  on  the  day  of  Pentecost,  and  by  the  apostles  afterward, 
in  inducing  the  unsaved  to  accept  Christ  as  their  Savior,  than 
he  did  while  he  tabernacled  in  the  flesh. 

Apostolic  zeal  for  God’s  cause,  and  willingness  to  spend 
and  be  spent  in  winning  this  world  to  Christ,  will  enable  the 
Church  of  to-day  to  do  greater  work  than  he  did  in  inducing 


254 


In  the  Gospel  Ministry 


men  to  accept  that  salvation  proffered  in  the  gospel.  How 
willingly,  cheerfully,  and  hopefully  Christians  ought  to  heed 
the  call : 


Stand  up,  stand  up  for  Jesus, 
Ye  soldiers  of  the  cross j 
Lift  high  his  royal  banner. 

It  must  not  suffer  loss; 

From  victory  unto  victory 
His  army  he  shall  lead. 

Till  every  foe  is  vanquished 
And  Christ  is  Lord  indeed. 


255 


CHAPTER  LVII. 


Random  Recollections — Numerous  Observations — Bits  of  Experience 
— Interesting  Events — Amusing  Incidents. 

Many  years  ago,  in  company  with  Bishop  Edwards,  I was 
waiting  in  the  Indianapolis  depot  for  a train,  when  a drunken 
man  began  to  make  himself  a little  too  conspicuous.  A police- 
man took  hold  of  him,  and  pushed  him  along  to  the  other 
end  of  the  depot  to  put  him  out.  He  evidently  hurried  him 
more  than  was  agreeable,  and  just  as  the  policeman  got  him 
to  where  he  was  to  step  out  of  the  depot,  he  suddenly  turned 
and  said,  “Say,  mister,  is  this  your  drunk  or  is  it  mine?” 

The  Africans  said  of  me  that  I was  a little  man  with  a big 
heart,  and  that  I had  eyes  on  both  sides  of  my  head,  and  could 
see  both  ways  at  the  same  time. 

An  African  in  Freetown  with  monkeys  to  sell  was  asked 
the  price  of  one.  He  said  his  first  price  was  three  shillings, 
but  his  second  price  was  two  shillings.  When  asked  what  the 
third  price  was,  he  replied  he  had  not  fixed  that  yet,  but  would 
if  he  could  not  get  either  of  the  others. 

I came  from  Freetown  to  New  York  on  a sail  vessel.  The 
voyage  had  been  rough  and  tedious,  and  while  at  the  table 
taking  our  last  dinner  together,  being  inside  of  Sandy  Hook, 
and  all  feeling  glad,  the  captain  told  us  this  incident.  On  a 
large  ship  with  a crew  of  twenty,  upon  which  he  was  once  a 
sailor,  the  cook  died.  That  is  a great  calamity  at  sea,  as  it 
is  very  difficult  to  make  a cook  out  of  an  ordinary  sailor.  The 
captain  of  the  ship  selected  a man  who  he  thought  would 
do,  and  to  make  it  easy  on  him,  ordered  that  the  first  man 
who  complained  of  the  cooking  would  have  to  take  his  place. 


256 


In  the  Gospel  Ministry 

The  cook  became  very  tired  of  his  work  in  a couple  of  days, 
and  as  no  one  had  complained,  he  resolved  he  would  give  them 
something  to  complain  of,  so  he  put  a quantity  of  red  pepper 
into  the  biscuits  he  made.  When  the  men  came  to  eat,  one  of 
them  broke  open  a biscuit,  put  butter  on  it,  and  took  a large 
mouthful,  which  he  rolled  about  in  his  mouth  a moment  and 
then  cried  out,  “0  cook,  what  did  you  put  in  these  biscuits  ?” 
Just  then  he  remembered  the  captain’s  orders,  and  he  added 
quickly,  “But  they  are  good;  very  good.”  He  swallowed  the 
hot  dose  with  tears  in  his  eyes,  glad  that  he  bethought  himself 
just  in  time  to  save  himself  from  being  made  a cook. 

At  a steamboat  landing  on  the  Ohio  River  in  1842,  on  a 
trip  between  Pittsburg  and  Cincinnati,  I saw,  close  to  the 
wharf,  a sick  woman  on  a straw  tick;  three  children  were 
with  her.  The  passengers  all  looked  at  the  sad  spectacle,  and 
quite  a number  said,  “What  a pity”;  but  none  offered  help. 
Presently  a quiet  young  man  came  to  the  scene.  After  look- 
ing at  the  woman  and  children  a moment,  without  saying  a 
word  he  pressed  his  way  through  the  crowd  and  put  a silver 
dollar  into  her  hand,  not  so  much  as  waiting  to  receive  her 
thanks  for  the  gift.  The  act  led  others  to  give  her  money, 
and  in  all  she  received  about  ten  dollars,  which  acted  like 
medicine  upon  her,  and  she  was  soon  removed  to  a house  near 
by  and  properly  cared  for.  Actions  speak  louder  than  words. 

Once  when  in  Brown,  Shipley  & Company’s  bank,  in  New 
York  City,  I had  to  write  my  name  three  times  to  get  a letter 
of  credit  which  enabled  me  to  draw  money  in  England,  Ger- 
many and  Africa.  I was  very  tired,  on  account  of  a long  walk, 
and  writing  my  name  with  a stub  pen,  my  heavy  handwriting 
looked  blacker  than  usual.  The  cashier  looked  at  my  writing 
a moment  and  then  remarked,  “That  will  do  to  worship,  for 
there  is  nothing  like  it  on  earth  or  in  heaven.” 

I spent  a night  with  a German  in  1852,  who  at  the  break- 
fast table  said  to  his  sons,  “Poys,  we  must  begin  to  fix  to  pre- 
pare to  get  ready  to  commence  to  butcher  our  hogs.” 


257 


Fifty-five  Years  of  Active  Life 

I was  on  a jury  about  sixty  years  ago,  hearing  a case  in 
court.  We  were  put  into  the  jury  room  at  five  o’clock  in  the 
evening,  and  by  six  eleven  of  us  had  agreed  as  to  what  the 
verdict  ought  to  be,  but  the  twelfth  man  kept  us  there  till  six 
the  next  morning,  when  he  agreed  to  the  verdict.  It ’s  awful 
when  eleven  contrary  men  hold  out  against  one  man  a whole 
night,  and  finally  persuade  him  to  agree  with  them. 

It  is  a very  common  thing  in  Africa  for  laborers,  when 
leaving  an  employer,  to  ask  for  a recommendation.  A man 
who  worked  for  one  of  our  missionaries  left  without  any,  but 
in  a few  days  asked  for  one.  Being  unworthy,  he  was  told  by 
the  missionary  that  he  did  not  wish  to  give  one.  The  native 
persisted,  and  the  missionary  wrote  as  follows : “This  man 
worked  for  me,  and  was  dismissed  for  laziness,  stealing,  and 
lying.”  ' 

When  in  Oregon  I met  a group  of  school  children  in  a 
lonely  woods,  clapping  their  hands  and  singing.  On  inquir- 
ing as  to  the  meaning  of  their  conduct,  the  man  with  me  said 
that  in  so  large  a forest  there  were  cougers,  a species  of  pan- 
thers, which  sometimes  would  steal  upon  persons  and  attack 
them.  Making  a noise  kept  them  away,  and  children  were 
safe  when  singing  and  clapping  their  hands. 

During  the  temperance  praying  crusade  my  mother,  all 
alone,  visited  the  only  saloonkeeper  in  the  village  near  which 
she  lived,  and  told  him  it  was  wrong  to  be  making  drunkards. 
The  only  reason  she  did  not  pray  was  that  the  crowd  she 
found  there  all  left,  leaving  the  proprietor  alone,  and  she  felt 
that  prayer  had  better  be  omitted. 

I once  overtook  a crowd  of  girls  on  their  way  to  church 
barefooted.  Just  before  reaching  the  church  they  put  on 
their  shoes,  which  they  had  carried.  On  coming  out  after 
the  meeting  they  took  off  their  shoes  and  walked  home  bare- 
foot to  save  sole  leather,  and  probably  for  comfort.  This 
was  not  in  Africa. 


258 


In  the  Gospel  Ministry 

Years  ago  I heard  a devout  Christian  read  part  of  a chap- 
ter of  the  Bible  at  family  worship,  which  he  called,  “The  first 
chapter  of  the  Gentiles.”  On  another  similar  occasion  he 
read  what  he  called  “the  fifth  chapter  of  Paul's  Epistle  to  the 
Acts  of  the  Apostles.” 

Once  at  the  close  of  an  annual  conference  one  Sunday  night 
in  August,  when  everybody  was  tired  and  sleepy,  the  bishop 

spoke  a few  parting  words,  and  then  said : “Brother  Iv — 

will  sing  the  benediction,  and  Brother  B will  pro- 

nounce the  doxology.”  He  wondered  why  the  people  laughed, 
and  never  realized  the  mistake  he  had  made  until  told  of  it 
after  the  dismissal. 

A German  who  was  warm  in  his  first  love  for  his  church, 
told  a neighbor,  “We  are  going  to  have  a great  meeting  at  our 
church.  The  bisehoff,  siding  alder,  circus  preacher,  and  ex- 
hausters are  all  to  be  there,  and  we  will  have  a powerful  time.” 
His  words  were  as  badly  mixed  as  those  of  another  German 
whom  I visited  over  sixty  years  ago  to  buy  hogs  from.  In  re- 
ply to  my  inquiry  he  said : “I  did  talk  of  selling  them,  but  I 
have  not  very  much  hogs,  and  many  corns  to  feed  them  with, 
and  I changed  my  tick-tacks,  and  now  I can’t  sell  hogs  unless 
my  corns  go  with  them.  They  must  all  go  together,  or  stay 
together,  and  this  is  my  last  delision  on  that  matter. 

Once  I went  to  Kent,  twenty  miles  from  Shenge,  to  get 
carpenters  to  help  build  the  mission  residence  at  Botifunk. 
While  waiting  for  a man  to  come  home,  I happened  to  look 
at  the  ceiling  of  the  house.  The  joists  of  the  second  floor 
were  about  a foot  wide  and  quite  smooth.  On  one  was  writ- 
ten the  date  of  marriage,  on  another  dates  of  birth  of  several 
children,  on  another  the  time  of  the  death  of  a child.  The 
marking  was  nicely  done  with  paint  and  a complete  family 
record  was  kept  on  the  sides  of  three  joists. 

A diminutive  and  much  hunch-backed  man  called  at  the 
ticket-office  in  Dayton,  Ohio,  and  asked  the  agent,  “Can  you 


259 


Fifty-five  Years  of  Active  Life 

send  me  straight  through  to  Indianapolis  ?”  The  agent  looked 
at  him  a moment  and  said,  “I  will  sell  you  a ticket  that  will 
be  sure  to  take  you  to  Indianapolis,  but  I can’t  promise  you 
that  you  will  be  any  straighter  then  than  now/'  It  was  a 
timely  rebuke,  for  he  had  strutted  about  quite  lordly,  and  it 
took  a ton  of  conceit  out  of  him. 

Coming  from  Africa  once  on  a sail  vessel,  I saw  a fine  ex- 
hibition of  earnestness,  On  board  were  a number  of  mon- 
keys, and  among  them  a large  dog  monkey,  which  was  fas- 
tened with  a chain  about  four  feet  long,  which  he  rattled 
while  taking  exercise.  The  cook  had  given  him  his  dinner, 
and  a couple  of  small  monkeys  were  trying  to  steal  it  from 
him,  one  finally  getting  a piece  of  it  beyond  his  reach.  Just 
then  the  long  tail  of  the  other  small  monkey  swung  around 
within  reach  of  the  dog  monkey,  and  he  grabbed  it  and  drew 
that  little  fellow  up  to  him.  Seizing  him  with  both  his  paws 
he  threw  him  at  the  other  small  monkey,  about  eight  feet 
away,  eating  what  he  had  stolen,  and  knocked  him  topsy- 
turvey,  hurting  both  of  them  so  as  to  make  them  cry.  They 
never  again  attempted  to  steal  from  that  dog  monkey,  nor  did 
they  play  with  him  any  more,  as  they  had  done  before.  On 
another  occasion,  and  also  on  a sailing  vessel,  there  was  a 
monkey.  The  captain  was  shaving  one  morning,  and  while 
his  face  was  all  lathered  over  he  was  called  out  of  his  room 
by  the  mate.  Thereupon  the  monkey  seized  the  brush  and 
lathered  his  face  completely,  and  took  the  razor  to  proceed  to 
scrape  it,  as  he  had  seen  the  captain  do.  But  he  cut  both  his 
nose  and  hand,  and  came  out  of  the  cabin  on  three  feet, 
holding  the  bleeding  hand  to  his  nose  and  crying  most  pit- 
eously. 

Crossing  over  from  Liverpool  to  New  York  on  a steamer, 
as  I promenaded  for  exercise  I observed  an  Irishman  sitting 
on  the  deck  for  second-class  passengers  several  hours  every 
day  peeling  potatoes.  As  I desired  a little  fun  I asked  him 
what  he  thought  of  the  doctrine  that  we  would  follow  the 


260 


In  the  Gospel  Ministry 


same  business  in  heaven  that  we  did  on  earth.  He  promptly 
replied,  “If  the  good  Mon  in  heaven  wonts  me  to  pale 
potatoes,  all  he  has  to  do  is  to  furnish  them,  an’  I will 
pale  them.” 

Leaving  him  I met  two  of  the  stewardesses,  and  asked  them 
the  same  question.  They  replied  that  no  ocean  steward  would 
ever  get  to  heaven.  They  said:  “We  were  just  now  consult- 
ing how  to  get  through  another  night  with  a woman  who  kept 
us  awake  all  last  night,  and  we  had  to  say  cuss  words  to  her, 
and  now  she  is  carrying  on  in  such  a way  that  we  will  have 
to  act  real  wicked  to  get  her  to  be  quiet.  We  will  never  get 
to  heaven,  and  if  we  did,  we  would  not  want  to  be  stewards 
there,  for  we  are  only  stewards  here  because  we  have  no  better 
way  of  making  a living ; but  how  wicked  we  are  getting !”  I 
told  them  they  ought  not  to  be  wicked,  but  they  said  that  they 
had  such  hysterical  and  foolish  women  to  wait  on  that  they 
must  say  cuss  words  to  quiet  them  sometimes. 


